You Found Me
by DancingDragonBlaze
Summary: I sleep and I see you. I am tortured and I hear you. Now you want to know me, to touch me, but I can't let you. I can't accept you. Through everything, you found me in the darkness of my own fear and hatred. This light you shine on me... it is so beautiful it burns. How can I ever repay you? How can I ever forgive you? You found me in my corruption. You shouldn't have.
1. Line One: Is This A Dream?

**Yo.**

**I know – I know. You wanna kill me. Yes, I understand. –rolls eyes- Allow me to explain?**

**Well, our internet totally CRASHED until just recently. As it turned out, the built-in modem we had in the computer totally fried. We had to get our entire motherboard fixed, which is always a complete and total pain. And now the C drive doesn't work, so I can't put songs on the computer or burn CD's. It sucks. Not to mention all the homework I'm getting for all the freakin' HONORS classes…**

**OR the new game that I got. –grins- Baten Kaitos Origins for the Gamecube. If you guys played the original Baten Kaitos and loved it – get this game. If Baten Kaitos nearly made me cry, this one HAS to be good too. XD**

**Not to mention that the main character has Sasuke's hair. XD I'm serious. When I first started playing, I'm just like, "HOLY SHIT! THAT GUY STOLE SASUKE'S HAIR AND DYED IT TEAL!"**

**And the graphics are BRILLIANT, as always. XD**

**I'll tell you guys everything else that happened in Treacherous Heart. With luck, I'll be updating THAT today too. But as I'm copying and pasting this author's note, I haven't even TYPED up the next chapter to TH, so no promises.**

**And I'm actually very proud of my control. If the review-whore inside of me had her way, this would've been up as soon as I finished it. But, I'm proud of myself, because I have written FIVE – FREAKIN – CHAPTERS! –screams hysterically- COUNT 'EM! ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE! HA! I RULE! –flops down-**

**But I decided to post it as an apology for taking so freakin' long with the updates, and because one of my friends at school read a modified version of it, and she absolutely adored it. So now I'm posting it. If it doesn't work out perfectly the way I'm planning – eh – I'll deal with it when I get there. **

**So… yes. Another story. I was actually sitting on this idea for a few weeks before I finally started writing it. It's when I'm imagining the very beginning – sentence by sentence – do I realize I need to write my obsession down on paper. **

**And yes – for a while, it was an obsession. For a couple of weeks, you couldn't get me off the computer. **

**Now, you can't get my hands off my wireless Gamecube controller. XD**

**I'll have you know I adore this story. **

**And I warn you now – it'll be LONG. Spell it! L-O-N-G!**

**Hope you love! (Not like, LOVE. L-O-V-E!)**

**You Found Me**

**Line One: Is This A Dream?**

_It was dark. He blinked to see another floating above him, a small smile on the other's face. _

_Before he could speak, the other beat him to it. _

"_I'm coming," the other breathed softly, their voice echoing. "I'm coming – don't worry. I'm going to find you."_

_He blinked. _

"_What –?"_

**BEEPBEEPBEEP**

His eyes shot open as the alarm clock at the edge of his desk began to shrilly ring, his arms cushioning his head as he bent over the wood.

_Weird. That same dream again._

Still groggy from sleep, he grabbed the ringing device and flung it at the wall.

"Fuck off," he muttered viciously, the venom ruined by the mumbling of sleep as metal crunched nicely against the solid wood wall. Blinking, he raised his head and looked up at the calendar pinned to the wall above his head.

"Tuesday," he stated blankly. Grunting, he made to straighten into a sitting position. "Recovery day from Monday my _ass –_"

His foot caught in the multitude of junk underneath his desk and he found that his rear had somehow drifted to the corner of the chair while he had been sleeping, and with a soft, groggy yelp, he fell to the wooden floor with a solid thump.

There was silence for a moment as he contemplated going back to sleep on the floor. Tuesdays were SO not worth this.

"Ow."

He could already tell it wasn't going to be a good day.

"Fuck."

Raising a hand to grip the edge of the desk, he pulled himself up just enough to rest his chin on the surface, closing his eyes and grunting pathetically.

Shaking his head to clear it, he managed to wrench his legs underneath him and stood up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Taking his glasses from the desk beside where his alarm clock had been, he put them on and looked down at the papers on the desk he had – thankfully – not drooled on.

"Oh," he stated blankly. "I didn't get to finish the paper. Ugh." Sighing, he ran his fingers through his long hair, wishing that he had gotten the dates wrong and it was actually Saturday instead of Tuesday. Fighting back another sigh, he took the papers and straightened them so he could put them back neatly in a folder resting in his bag. "I guess I'll just finish it during break. I should have enough time."

Shoving the papers in the folder and then shoving said folder in his bag, he straightened and got ready for school.

After taking a shower and changing into the uniform, he snagged a granola bar from the kitchen and opened the door to his apartment, locking it behind him and heading down the stairs, bag and skateboard in tow.

Once on the sidewalk, he threw his skateboard down and easily jumped onto it, skating down the pavement effortlessly towards the school. Humming a song to himself, he glided along, his hair billowing behind him in the makeshift wind.

Winding around pedestrians, he pushed off the pavement to gain momentum as he neared the mass of stone buildings surrounded by dark red brick walls, flashing his I.D. at the security guards as he entered the gates, still on his skateboard.

Weaving through the teenagers that were being herded like cattle in front of the main entrance doors, his eyes never lit up for a second with the joy of seemingly gliding on air. The scene of fresh cut grass and newly trimmed hedges never entertained him.

In fact, they made him miserable.

Once near the doors, he jumped off the board and slammed his foot onto the tail, making the wood buck up into his awaiting hand. Shouldering the board, he walked into the school.

"Another day, another eight hours of hell," he muttered grimly to himself as he walked through the nearly deserted hallways – seeking to get to his locker and to the classroom before the mass of students crushed him against the walls.

At least, that was the excuse he told himself as he popped open his locker and shoved his skateboard into it, hanging it by the front axel on one of the many hooks.

Opening his bag, he yanked out a binder, three folders, two spirals and two books, throwing them into the locker before pulling out a textbook, another binder (black this time) two folders, one spiral, and a different book from the neatly stacked mass at the bottom, putting those – minus the freaking _heavy _textbook – in his bag in place of the others he had taken out.

He surely _WASN'T _looking forward to that day. But then again, he never looked forward to schooldays. The only weekdays he enjoyed were those of holidays.

He had just closed the locker when a hand slammed into the locker next to him.

His aura turned dark.

_Why now? Why so early in the morning? Why do they have to do this NOW? _

"Hey Uchiha," the other teen growled. "Nice look you got today – did you do something different with your hair?"

Sasuke clicked the lock shut and dropped his bag onto the floor before looking at the other, eyes half closed and tired.

"Must you do this so early in the morning, Jirobo? Can't it wait until AFTER fifth?"

Jirobo grinned, and Sasuke then realized that the other three had appeared, circling around him.

_Oh, just PERFECT –_

"Why should it wait?" Kidomaru asked, silently laughing. "We always love spending time with you."

"Yes," Tayuya added. "We do. After all…" Sasuke glanced at Jirobo to see his eyes turn sharp. "Who wouldn't want to spend time with a _FAG_?"

Sasuke had enough time to think, _Oh God not THIS crap again_, before he was thrown against his own locker, Jirobo's face extremely close to his own.

"I'm supposing that you finished that essay for English, right four-eyes?" He asked. Sasuke blinked from behind his glasses.

_Oh, SO original…_

"No," he replied simply. "I haven't."

Tayuya gasped mockingly as Sakon's eyes narrowed. Out of his peripheral vision, Sasuke could see that a crowd was forming.

_God it's too early for this –_

"Really? The teacher's pet hasn't FINISHED his work? How unimaginable!"

_I'm surprised you know that word, BITCH. _

Sasuke grunted softly from the pressure being exerted on his throat by Jirobo's forearm and raised a hand, pushing at it weakly.

"Please Tayuya – imagine it. Now lay off, Jirobo – it's too early for this."

Jirobo grinned at him, teeth flashing. The stink of weed flooded Sasuke's nostrils, and he fought from wincing.

"Too early, huh? Awe – poor fag-baby," he cooed, releasing Sasuke's throat just barely before slamming him back against the locker again. "Then how about you give me your money?"

Sasuke blinked, bored.

"I don't HAVE money, you know that," he stated. Sakon rolled his eyes, setting a hand on Jirobo's shoulder.

"Enough of this."

Sasuke had no warning before Jirobo was pulled away from him and Sakon's fist had collided with his cheek, slamming the side of his head against the locker again as stars burst from behind his eyes.

Grunting, Sasuke fought to keep his balance as he brought a hand to his face, feeling the bruise forming as he dully realized that his glasses had fallen off to land onto his bag.

_Well, at least they didn't break. _

"Fucking drag queen," he heard Tayuya hiss before a fist had slammed into his stomach, making him fight the urge to double over.

"Crap. The teacher's coming!" He heard Kidomaru mutter. Curses issued out of the other three, and there was suddenly movement from behind them as the crowd scattered.

"Let's go," Sakon stated as Sasuke straightened, looking up to see the Sound Four glaring at him in hatred before bolting. The Uchiha turned his head to see Ibiki Morino waltzing down the hall, looking as if he owned the place.

Sending a swift thank you to whatever deity was up there, Sasuke crouched, sweeping the strap of his bag into his hold and bolting in a fashion identical to the Sound Four to his first class.

His cheek was throbbing like hell as he shoved his glasses back onto his face, cradling the textbook to his chest.

_God I hate it here. _

---------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- -----------------------

When he entered the Pre-Calculus classroom, he was the last person inside, and the chatter turned silent as he closed the door behind him. Gekkou Hayate looked from the dry-erase board to him.

"Very good, Uchiha." He paused to cough. "You're just in time. Take a seat."

Fighting back a sigh at the outbreaks of mutters caused by his reddened cheek, he shifted the strap on his shoulder and headed for his seat.

Dropping his bag on the floor next to his desk, Sasuke collapsed into his chair to nurse his bruised face, blinking as Hayate began to speak after the tardy bell finished ringing.

The murmurs continued to flow, many of them loud enough for Sasuke to hear – which he sadly knew wasn't by accident.

"_I heard the Sound Four cornered him this morning."_

"_Yeah. I heard that too. They said he took the beatings like a little girl."_

"_Tsk. He's such a pussy. Not even a MAN!" _

"_Of course he's not a man! What kind of FAG can be a MAN?" _

"_Yeah! He's such a fucking drag queen!"_

"_Not to mention the fact that he's a total geek." _

"_Right? Tsk – the glasses are so dorky."_

"_Well, glasses fit for a dork."_

"_(giggle) Haha! You're right!"_

Sasuke fought down a sigh, and idly imagined what would happen if he turned around and flipped those girls off.

"_Just because I have long hair doesn't mean I'm gay!" _He imagined himself roaring as the girls cowered in fear. _"Now go dance on a pole, you fucking sluts!"_

He sighed again and copied the notes Hayate was writing on the board. There was no way he would do that. He didn't have the courage. It had always been that way. Ever since THAT day…

_No – don't think about it –_

"So, Uchiha, in seeing this equation, what do you think the answer would be?"

Sasuke blinked and looked up at the board, studying the numbers.

"The answer would be somewhere in the imaginary plane, seeing as how when you simplify the equation, you would get negative square roots," he replied, resting his chin in his hand and contemplating taking a nap. Hayate nodded his head in approval as the other students exchanged dark glances and started muttering again. Hayate– with a small smirk – looked back over to Sasuke.

"So Uchiha, what do you think the answers are?"

Sasuke blinked, and the teacher could tell he was doing the math inside his head, the dark obsidian eyes sparkling from behind the lenses of the glasses.

"The roots would be i-root three, two-i-root seven, i-root ten, and two-i-root two," he replied, wondering if Hayate was going to give him homework.

The teacher smiled.

"Very good!" He coughed before resuming the smile. "You obviously understand the concept! Now, Sakura…" he continued on with the lesson, and Sasuke caught the people around him casting him dark glances, which he dismissed with a mental shrug. He didn't care. They couldn't get mad at him for naturally being smart.

But of course they always found a way.

The flurry of spitballs proved THAT to him. He hoped that he had slipped underneath the desk inconspicuously enough.

"All right!" Hayate's loud exclamation made the attacks suddenly stop, allowing the Uchiha to cautiously seat himself back in his chair. "You will be doing page seventy-one, numbers one to thirty all, due Thursday."

There was a collective groan as he began to cough violently. Who cares if Hayate had given them two days – thirty Pre-Calculus problems were hard, man!

As they opened their books and began to work, Hayate walked along the rows of students.

Sasuke took his time on the first problem as the teacher walked down his row, wondering what would happen.

As expected, a small yellow sticky note somehow appeared by his right elbow – which was resting on the desk as he wrote with the attached hand – as Hayate passed, and Sasuke slipped it into his fist before anyone could see it, looking up quickly enough to catch Hayate's wink before the teacher turned back to resume walking. Glancing around to see if anyone was looking at him suspiciously, he peeked into his fist to read the note.

"_1 to 30 odd, for understanding the concept! Congrats for being smart!" _

Beneath that was a friendly smiley face, along with Hayate's initials. Sasuke fought down a smile as he carefully tore up the note, shoving it into his uniform pant pocket before going on to number three.

Being ridiculously smart had its perks after all.

-------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ --------------

Biochemistry had passed uneventfully, leaving Sasuke free to finish the essay he had been working on in the library during the break between second and third.

He had just finished proofreading it when the same hand from earlier slammed onto the table next to his paper.

"_Amazing." _He wanted to say. _"You've actually ENTERED the library. Don't they have a rule against letting stupid people in?" _

But he kept silent as Jirobo leered down at him.

"I see you've finished it," he breathed to the Uchiha, the smell of weed replaced by the completely _obvious_ minty scent of mouthwash. Taking his other hand, he began to pluck the paper off the table.

Sasuke placed a finger on the paper to stop him.

"It's in _INK_, Jirobo," he stated. "You can't claim it's yours."

The other sneered down at him. Sasuke fought against coughing.

"_How the hell are you even TAKING Honors English, anyway?" _He wanted to ask the teen.

_Probably bribed the counselor_. He mentally answered his own question.

"It's called White Out, _idiot_," Jirobo snarled. Sasuke fought against rolling his eyes.

"_Wow. Did you figure out something like that existed all by yourself? And who are you calling an idiot when YOU'RE the one trying to cheat?" _Sasuke wanted to snap. He even felt his mouth begin to open, but the words died before they even reached his throat. Disappointed in himself, he lowered his eyes.

He could never have the courage.

He fought against a sigh and took his finger from the paper.

"Whatever. Do what you want," he replied.

_You're so stupid, he'll figure out what you did the moment he lays eyes on the title. Che – idiot. _

Jirobo smiled toothily.

"I'm glad you see things my way," he stated sweetly, taking his oh-so-precious time to take a fistful of Sasuke's hair and yank, nearly pulling it out by the roots and making the Uchiha fight down a yelp. Slamming Sasuke's face down onto the table, he turned to leave, the Uchiha's essay in his hand. "See you in English."

With that, he left.

Sasuke remained from where Jirobo had made him kiss the wood, staring blankly at the polished surface.

_My life sucks. _

--------------- ----------------- -------------------- ---------------- -------------------

It was Athletics now – it seemed like the only time Sasuke could run loose was during the exercise period.

He was the first one in the locker room, taking his clothes from the locker and changing in the very back corner. For some reason, changing in front of others frightened him.

Unfortunately though, the men of the Sound Four were always right behind him.

A wolf whistle erupted to the side of Sasuke, and he looked up to see Jirobo, Kidomaru, and Sakon walk into the row of lockers where Sasuke was just slipping his arms into the gym shirt's sleeves, about to pull the garment over his head. Kidomaru leered at him.

"Well, looky-looky – looks like little faggot actually has some muscles."

Sasuke's expression of boredom didn't change.

"_Is that really the BEST insult you can come up with?" _He wanted to ask. _"After all, HOW many times have you called me that? Not very original, are you?" _But he knew that doing that meant getting a black eye, so he stayed silent. It was easier that way – to just sit back and take it. It was so much easier than fighting back. Just let them do what they wanted, and they'd eventually go away.

"Yes, shocking, isn't it?" He agreed dryly, pulling the shirt down and straightening the hem – which fell past his hips. The gym shirts had always been too big on him.

Jirobo sneered at him.

"Cocky today, aren't you?" He snarled. Sasuke didn't blink.

"_No. Just sick and tired of you bastards being so annoying." _He ached to badly to snap something – like Jirobo had said, 'cocky' – back, but he didn't breathe a word. He thanked God that he had managed to put his shorts on before the three teens had made an appearance. Who knows what they might've tried then.

Instead of speaking, he took off his glasses and slipped around the three to head back to his locker as the tardy bell rang.

For the second time that day, he was shoved into an uncomfortably cold wall, Jirobo's sneering face inches from his own.

"Why don't you answer me when I'm talking to you?" The other snarled dangerously. Sasuke merely blinked.

"_Because every time I talk to you, my I.Q. drops ten points," _he wanted to snap back cynically. _"Now get off me, dammit!"_

But he stayed silent. He always did.

"You have three minutes, gentlemen!" The coach called from his office. Jirobo shot the cubicle a nasty look before glaring back at Sasuke, reluctantly letting him go.

"See you in the gym, _faggot_," he hissed, shouldering past Sasuke with the other two following him to their respective lockers.

Sasuke didn't answer. Instead, he opened his locker and put his uniform and glasses inside, snapping the blue door shut before pulling on his shoes.

The first one finished, he exited out the back door of the locker room into the gym.

A few of the girls were already dressed – many of which he didn't know. Regular P.E. was mixed with Athletics third period, so Sasuke saw some overweight teenagers mixed in with the fit ones.

He really didn't care about obesity though – as long as they didn't assist in making his school day hell, more power to them with whatever they attempted.

_Third period, okay. As soon as this class is over, school is already halfway done – cool. I can do this._

He walked over to the bleachers and sat down, crossing his legs Indian style and watching idly as the students entered.

The female coach – Anko Mitarashi – entered along with the male coach – Kotetsu Hagane after a few minutes, chatting with one another and probably discussing the Plan of Pain Anko was going to use on the Athletics kids.

Sasuke was able to take it though. Being physically fit had its advantages, after all. Even if his version of physically fit meant he was at least a third smaller than the smallest male in his class.

So he weighed below one-twenty – big fucking deal. At least he didn't weigh two hundred – like Jirobo.

But then again, weighing two hundred pounds just _MIGHT _help if you're on the football team…

Sasuke was brought out of his revere by Anko's whistle.

"All right, you maggots!" She called to the Athletics' kids. "Line up! It's time for roll call!"

Sighing, Sasuke stood and walked over, taking a seat on his spot on the basketball court.

After checking roll, Anko explained what they were doing today – running laps, like always. Sasuke rolled his shoulders nonchalantly as the others groaned. At least it wasn't something that required actual orders from the brain – like soccer. He wasn't in the mood to use his brain – it felt fried enough as it was.

_Get me some extra-crispy brain, chef! _He thought grimly.

With running – you just worked your legs and ran in an oval all day – nothing hard about it.

Sasuke was probably the only person who was happy to be in gym that day. Running meant he didn't have to spend any time at all with the Sound Four – except for those multiple times when he would run past them on the track as he sought to finish his laps. Anko had begged him multiple times to be on the Track team (or maybe even Cross Country – what, with his amazing endurance) but Sasuke had turned her down. He was in Athletics because it was one of the two classes that he could release all his frustration – all those feelings of sheer, utter _hopelessness_. Track would mean after school practices, which meant more time at school, and more effort.

Hell no.

So he allowed himself a small smile as he stretched, his small frame giving him the flexibility to rest his forehead against the floor as they stretched on the court, his legs in a wide 'V' with the backs of his legs against the chilled, smooth wooden surface. He moved through the multiple stretches in blissful thoughtlessness, his mind thankfully blank.

Yes – gym – at that moment – was nice.

After stretching, along with thirty crunches and push ups, they headed to the track.

As soon as Anko blew her whistle as a sign for them to start running their ten laps, Sasuke immediately broke into a dash, easily passing even the top people on the Track team.

And he stayed that way for a good while – finishing up six laps – a mile and a half – with energy to burn.

Running meant no mingling with other students – no interaction with people who hated him. Sasuke enjoyed that – enjoyed being left to his own devices, his own thoughts, his own skills. He detested games – when he had to rely on others – when he had to trust others in order to be successful.

Who needed that?

He finished the ten laps with five minutes left before they had to go in to change, so Anko allowed him to go to the locker room early. Fighting down a pleased smile – he felt like he was weightless – he spent three of the five minutes doing some extra stretching in the locker room to avoid cramping before changing back into his uniform and departing for his next class just as students began filing in.

The men of the Sound Four didn't get a chance to pin him – to make a fool out of him – and Sasuke spent two of the six minutes of passing period to go to the library to turn in a book he had previously borrowed, a slight smile on his face. The librarian gave him a sweet smile as he departed.

It was amazing how gym could make him feel like a sun had burst into existence in his dark world.

But rain always found a way to block out the sun.

------------ ----------------- ---------------- --------------------- --------------- -----

English was forth period. Sasuke was sitting in the very middle of the room in his assigned seat, waiting for the teacher to show himself as student filed in.

No one spared him a glance – it was as though he didn't exist. He ignored them as much as they ignored him though – simply out of habit. It was jealousy, he kept telling himself. It was jealousy that kept making him hate coming to school – it was jealousy that made awful rumors about him spread – it was jealousy that made them corner him to make their fists meet every inch of his body they could find – it was jealousy that made him sit all alone against a tree at the far corner of the clearing during lunch – it was jealousy that made them hate him.

It was jealousy that made him feel so alone.

But he was used to it by now. He had always been alone – at home and at school. Why should jealousy – this never-ending flow of animosity, from all around him, burning him away slowly but surely (_like a fire that warmed you while it slowly killed you from the inside out_) – change anything?

He told himself it didn't, because it didn't.

So what was this ache in his chest?

The tardy bell rang, and the teacher still wasn't there.

He was never there on time.

And everyone in the class knew it.

It was Sakura who spoke first, flicking her accursedly annoying pink hair back over her shoulder.

"SO," she began loudly, bringing the chatter down to a near silence. "I heard that you got into a fight, _Uchiha_," she hissed out the name like a dirty curse word, making Sasuke's hands curl into fists underneath the desk as he forced his face to remain blank.

"_Go rot in fucking hell, you SCANK!" _He wanted to yell. _"NEVER SPEAK LIKE THAT ABOUT MY FAMILY! THEY WERE SURE AS HELL A LOT BETTER THAN __**YOURS**__!"_

Which was true – everyone knew. Sakura's mother was a local whore who had been impregnated by one of her clients. The man had vanished, and Sakura – by all technical terms – was a bastard. Everyone was aware of that.

But yet she was on the Student Council. She had been Homecoming Queen the year before, and she was captain of the cheerleading squad.

Life just wasn't fair.

"But _I _heard it wasn't even a fight, Sakura," Ino – Sakura's blonde best friend and archrival – piped up, smirking. "I heard that dear little _Uchiha _–" she spit the name like a curse word as well, making Sasuke wish nothing more than for lightning to break through the ceiling and fry her fucking mouth off. "–did nothing to defend himself."

"That's because he _DIDN'T_," another girl by the name of Kin added smugly. "I was there, watching everything. He took all the blows like a little girl."

"Like a faggot," her best friend – Zaku – hissed, grinning like mad. "He would've been beaten down to the floor if that stupid asshole Morino hadn't popped up."

Sakura laughed icily.

"Yeah!" She exclaimed. Then her voice grew lower – more taunting. "Whatever happened to the might of the Uchiha clan, hm? What a shame – the last remaining member is such a pussy." She sighed dramatically, shaking her head with a smug smirk on her face. "You must shame them so much – I'm sure your family was expecting so much more than a long-haired fag to continue on their bloodline."

Sasuke grit his teeth.

_Stop talking about them!_

Ino scoffed.

"Don't forget Sakura – he's gay – he _CAN'T _carry on the bloodline."

Sakura laughed softly, even though she had been fully aware of this fact this entire time.

"Oh yes – you're right, Ino! Of course he can't. Poor Uchiha clan. What will become of that famous family now?"

_YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THEM!_

Sasuke's fists were clenched so hard that they were shaking – his nails so close to breaking skin, so close to drawing blood.

_SHUT UP!_

He ached to open his mouth – to scream at them, to rage and roar and yell – to tell them that just because he had long hair didn't mean he was gay – and to never, _EVER_, speak of the Uchiha clan like that again.

But he stayed silent. He didn't even open his mouth to even try and he cursed himself.

_I'm such a coward. _

Ino sighed dramatically as well – in a direct imitation to Sakura's before.

"I don't know, Sakura. I'm sure they're sobbing in their graves right now. Whoever heard of such _disappointment _of an heir?"

Sasuke swallowed thickly, closing his eyes.

_Shut up please God make them SHUT UP –_

"Awe, what's a matter?"

Kin's voice was suddenly closer now, and Sasuke could feel that knot in his stomach growing tighter and tighter with each moment, and he wished he could reach inside his gut and yank it out to shove it down the girl's throat. Sakura, Ino, Kin – he didn't care which. As long as one of them died from choking on the blasted thing – he couldn't care less.

_Please God make them go away – _

"Awe – poor wittle faggot – are you crying? You wanna run home and snuggle up with your teddy bears and rainbow pillows?" Kin cooed mockingly from above his head. He didn't chance opening his eyes and looking up at her. He could feel the corners of his eyes burning and he didn't want to open them – to open them meant letting all that rage and sorrow loose in a wave of salt water and that was the last thing he wanted – that was the last thing he needed – to show them that they were affecting him – to show that the years of torment and taunting were finally starting to get to him.

Because they weren't.

_Dammit you fucking teacher where the hell ARE you –?_

A fist found its way into his hair.

"Well, _faggot_?" He heard Zaku's snarl from above his head. "Aren't you going to answer her?"

The knot in Sasuke's stomach tightened unbearably as he just sat there in silence, cursing himself for his cowardliness and begging for it to end.

_Please God make it stop – _

"If you exert _any _pullingpressure at all on Uchiha's skull, Abumi, I will fail you in English for the year and personally make sure you're _expelled _right on your overconfident, cocky little ass."

The teacher's calm – and how calm it was told Sasuke that he was _pissed _– drawl snapped the students out of their taunting mood as Sasuke's eyes snapped open, and the fist instantly shot back away from his hair as Zaku grumbled from behind him.

Sasuke fought against the urge to leap from his chair and tackle the English teacher in a hug. No need in making the student body think he was weirder than he already was.

_Thank you, Shiranui –_

Genma didn't even glance at the Uchiha as he stared at Zaku, his toothpick dangling haphazardly between his teeth.

"Good. Now go back to your seat. Kin, Ino, Sakura – that threat goes for you too. I will not have any abuse happening in my classroom when I am not present. Do it again and I will escort you to the gates and gleefully kick you out myself. Do you understand?"

There were murmurs of 'yes' among the three girls. The teacher's gaze traveled from the three to the rest of the class.

"The same goes for all of you. Everyone in this class is equal, and I refuse to let you degrade a fellow classmate, no matter how horribly _jealous_," he spat out the word like it had a bad taste. Sasuke had to fight down a smirk while the students around him visibly tensed, "you are of him. NOW," he cleared his throat and relaxed. "As you all know, the essay on the book you've read is due today. Pass them up to the front."

Sasuke was acutely aware of the shuffling of papers around him, and how he didn't – couldn't – move to get anything out. To busy his hands, he unzipped his pencil bag and pulled out a pen, doodling on the cover of his English journal to pass the time, occasionally passing along papers as they came to him from behind.

His gaze drifted to the right, and he – by some sheer stroke of bad luck – managed to catch Jirobo's eye as he passed up a five-page essay – HIS five-page essay – to the person in front of him.

Smirking, Jirobo winked at him.

Feeling sick, Sasuke turned away.

After a minute, Genma walked up to the people at the front of the rows and began taking up the papers, scanning over the names.

He came to Jirobo's row before Sasuke's, and he read over one essay.

"Jirobo, you get a zero on the essay," he stated simply.

Sasuke fought to keep his jaw from dropping in awe as the other exploded.

"WHAT? WHY? I _DID _THE ESSAY!"

Genma clucked his tongue.

"Yes – you might have, but THIS isn't it. Does _The Fanatical Errors of a Sardonically Obsequious Woman_ sound like a title YOU would come up with?"

Jirobo's jaw dropped as Sasuke fought down a smirk.

_See? I told you so. _He thought smugly.

There was silence for a moment, and Genma smiled sweetly.

"I thought so. You're given a zero for attempting to cheat. Besides," he glanced down at the paper disapprovingly. "White Out on regular lined paper is so freakishly _obvious_. Uchiha," he motioned to Sasuke with the paper. "You might want to write your name in the top left margin." He handed the paper to the first person in Sasuke's row. "Please pass that back," he told the girl. She did so, and Sasuke received the paper in a few moments. Fighting down an insane grin, he took his pen and neatly signed his name in the appointed place. Schooling his features, he handed the paper back, and it was passed back up to Genma, who took it with a smile from behind his mask. "Very good! Thank you!" He finished collecting the essays, and sat them in a pile on his desk. "I will return them to you in four days. And Jirobo," he turned to the teen. "You're being given a week of detentions. It's obvious you forcefully took the paper from Uchiha, seeing as how he would never _willingly _help a person who assists in making his life a living hell." Ignoring the teen's outraged protests, he moved to the dry-erase board as Sasuke mentally worshiped him. _THANK YOU! SOMEBODY UNDERSTANDS! _"Now, I have an announcement for all of you." He turned to look at them, setting the marker down as if a thought had just occurred to him. "We have a new student today – one that has just moved about a month ago from Atlanta. Please welcome him."

He motioned to the door, and Sasuke suddenly realized that a blonde boy had been standing there that entire time – watching everything.

The Uchiha felt his face flush, and he immediately ducked his head behind the person in front of him to hide his burning face.

_Oh no – he saw everything! He must think I'm a total weakling!_

_**Well, you are. **_That annoying little voice breathed to him. _**Only because you allow yourself to be. **_

Furious, Sasuke crushed that voice underneath his mental foot, schooling his face in reality before raising his head again to study the newcomer.

The boy was a blonde blue-eye, those oceanic orbs wide and curious as he scanned the classroom. The other's face was tan with three whisker marks on each cheek – his body lithe in the uniform, and soon whispers of how cute he was fluttered like butterfly wings among the female populace of the classroom. Immediately, ignoring the comments, Sasuke thought that the black and silver uniform looked absolutely drab on such a bright figure. He thought the other would look better in something loud and vivid – like orange.

Then he wondered if there was any possibility of the newcomer speaking to him.

Immediately, Sasuke dismissed the thought. Of course he wouldn't – as soon as he took a seat, notes would fly at him, telling him not to speak to the 'loser fag with long hair and glasses' – Sasuke was sure of it. They did it to everyone, so by the time fifth period rolled around, the newcomer was scared to even _look _at him.

It was just jealousy, Sasuke told himself.

_It's such a shame though. _He found himself thinking. _He really IS cute. _

He gave a soft, grim smirk.

_Well, at least I can't deny being gay. _He thought, mentally forcing out a laugh.

Genma resumed speaking.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki," he told the class. "He will be in our class from now on. Treat him well. Now, Uzumaki," he gave the boy a warm smile before scanning the room. "You will sit next to…"

There was only one empty seat left in the classroom.

And that seat was right next to Sasuke.

"Next to Sasuke Uchiha. Uchiha, raise your hand."

Silently, Sasuke obeyed, and Naruto – flashing the class a bright smile – walked over to sit beside Sasuke.

Genma smiled at Naruto. "Now, Naruto – you don't have to worry about the essay the class just turned in today, but make sure to pay attention from this point on, all right?" He turned to the black board. "Now, on the lesson for today…" he began to talk about the book they had just finished, speaking about Archetypes and Cultural Universals.

Sasuke allowed himself to drift off, idly doodling in his notebook while stealing glances at the blonde beside him. He knew that Genma wouldn't call on him for the entire class period – seeing as how the man had walked in just in time to see the Uchiha's hair nearly get yanked out of his skull.

A note was passed over to him. Blinking in surprise – seeing as how he hadn't passed notes with someone for nine years – he picked it up and discreetly unfolded it.

"_**Hey! I'm Naruto! Pleased to meet you!" **_

Fighting down a smile, he glanced over at Naruto – who was grinning at him – before replying in his own crisp handwriting.

"_And I'm Sasuke. Nice to meet you too." _

Checking to see if anyone was watching – he slipped the note back.

As it turned out, someone HAD been watching.

Sakura – who was sitting behind Naruto, reached over his shoulder and snatched the note from his fingers, tearing it up into pieces before shooting Sasuke a glare.

Rolling his eyes and scowling – _I should've never replied to the note, damn it all, now she's going to be on my case for weeks_ – Sasuke settled back into his chair and continued to doodle, ignoring Naruto's dumbfounded face.

It was nice thinking that Sakura and her pack of bitches would give him some breathing room, but it seemed that it really was just wishful thinking.

Once a bitch, _always _a bitch.

The good mood that gym had given him had just about dwindled down to absolutely nothing. He could almost hear that annoying little chant –

"_**Your life is a living he-ll! Your life is a living he-ll!"**_

Sasuke's grip on his pen tightened.

_Dammit, I know! Shut up!_

That tight knot had appeared in his stomach again.

Thirty minutes passed before the bell was about to ring.

"Your homework will be to pick out a fantasy novel you wish to read for your next essay. It must be over four hundred pages. I expect a title and author by Thursday. See you tomorrow!" Smiling, he waved everyone off.

Quickly, Sasuke grabbed his bag and bolted, wanting nothing more than to curl up against his favorite tree and draw.

_My life DEFINITELY sucks. _

He pretended not to notice those wide blue eyes watching him.

-------------- ---------------- ------------------ ----------------- ------------------- --

"Hey, Sakura." The girl looked over at him as they made their way through the lunch line. "Who was that guy you didn't want me to talk to?"

Sakura's normally pretty face twisted up in a scowl.

"Oh, HE'S only the geekiest, weirdest, weakest drag queen this school has ever seen!" She replied scathingly. "No one likes him!"

Naruto blinked.

"Why not?" He asked.

Ino gawked at him.

"Did you not hear what Sakura just said?" She asked. "Sasuke Uchiha is a freak – everyone knows that! He's top of the class, and has no social life _whatsoever_! He's incredibly Emo, and all he does is do homework, ride his skateboard, work or draw! He has no friends, AND no family! He's a _LOSER_! He lives all by himself in a wrecked apartment, in the rundown part of the city, and the only way he's managed to survive is what little money his family left him and the two part-time jobs he works at! This is a prestigious school – only the best and the richest can come here!"

"His family used to be the richest in the area," Sakura continued. "But there was an accident nine years ago that left him an orphan, and he's been taking care of himself ever since. They tried to put him in an orphanage AND foster homes both, but they say that the faggot's too fucked up in order to live with other people. No one talks to him or even _looks _at him, and he's the chief target for bullies, because he never defends himself _whatsoever_! You're better off not having anything to do with him!"

During this time, they had gotten their food and were walking to a certain table the girls obviously always sat at.

Naruto's aura darkened when he spotted Sasuke sitting against a tree at the far edge of the clearing – far away from anyone else as he did something in his notebook.

"Don't call people that," the blonde muttered. Sakura blinked at him.

"What?" She asked. Naruto raised his head to glare at her.

"You heard me! _Never – EVER _call _ANYONE _a faggot again – you understand?" He hissed dangerously, his eyes flashing. Eyes wide, Sakura numbly nodded.

Still seething for some unknown reason, Naruto waltzed off – straight towards Sasuke in a sudden act of rebellion. Sakura and Ino gasped.

"No! Naruto, DON'T!" They cried.

Sasuke was in his own, blissfully thoughtless world when he heard someone walking towards him. Immediately dismissing it as Jirobo or some other Sound member, he didn't think more of it until he realized that they never bothered him during lunch.

_Wow. I wonder if English pissed off Jirobo THAT badly. _He thought idly as he continued to sketch. The footsteps were closer now, and they were lighter-sounding than Jirobo's. Blinking, Sasuke raised his eyes and looked up to see the blonde he had met earlier, a tray of food in his hands as he looked down at the Uchiha.

They merely blinked at each other before the blonde grinned down at him.

"Hey! Can I sit next to you?"

Sasuke had enough sense in him to fight down a blush as he looked up at the other.

_**Is this a dream?**_

"Uh…" he was at a loss for a moment. His aura turned dark as a thought occurred to him, and he scowled at the ground.

"Didn't Sakura and Ino tell you all about me? About how I'm such a freak and that you shouldn't come near me?"

Naruto blinked before grinning again.

"Yes, they did!"

Sasuke looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed darkly.

"So why even waste your time coming over here?"

The blonde blinked again before smiling and sitting down next to the Uchiha. Instinctively, Sasuke scooted over so they weren't touching. If Naruto noticed this, he didn't show it. He was still smiling.

"Because I'm rebellious like that!" He laughed, scratching his head sheepishly. He opened his eyes and surveyed Sasuke. "Besides, is what they say true?"

Sasuke bristled in rage before he calmed himself and looked away.

"Who cares what I say? Even if I deny it to be truth, the entire school will say otherwise."

Naruto cocked his head, his eyes narrowing.

"You don't care that they're telling lies about you?"

Sasuke began to seethe again.

"Even if I DID care, that doesn't stop them from telling lies! So what's the point of getting mad about it?" He snapped.

Naruto's voice had gotten decidedly lower.

"You seemed to care when they were making fun of you in English class."

Sasuke felt himself flush.

_So he DID see –_

Then he felt rage boil up again.

"So what?" He spat, bristling. "Did you come over here just to throw that in my face?"

Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke was tempted to say more – anything to get that blonde away from him. Better to be alone than to have things change – he hated change.

But something in him cried out to the blonde – cried out for the blonde to help him – and that part overruled the common sense of scaring the blonde away.

So he stayed silent.

Then Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry," he breathed to the Uchiha, making Sasuke blink. "I'm sorry they do that to you – no one deserves that."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"I don't need your pity," he snapped bitterly. Naruto gave a grim smile.

"No, you don't," he agreed.

There was silence between them for a moment, and then Naruto grinned, holding up his roll to the Uchiha.

"You need food!" The blonde exclaimed, making Sasuke tempted to do a backwards face-fault from shock. "Would you like my roll?"

Sasuke blinked, mentally sweat-dropping. And here he had thought the other was intelligent.

He looked at Naruto – grinning, stupid-looking Naruto – before managing a weak smile. Slowly – against all instinctive urges to slap the blonde's hand away and start blurting out nonsense in scientist-lingo to scare the other away, he reached up and gently took the roll from Naruto's fingers – as if afraid it might explode.

It didn't.

Slowly, Sasuke bit into it as the blonde next to him took this as a token of acceptance, and he settled down next to the Uchiha, making his self comfortable as he started chatting about something absolutely unimportant. Sasuke listened with one ear, trying to remember when the last time he had actually eaten something during lunch had been.

_Hmm… seven or eight years ago, I think._

He had stopped eating lunch because the muttering and physical abuse in the lunch line was just too much to handle – that and buying an entire meal would be a waste of time and money. He didn't eat a lot at all, so a roll, a side, and half of the main course would probably just go to waste. And bringing lunch would just be a waste of time anyway – he barely had enough food as it was at home.

So he settled with a roll he had received from a blonde, loud, 'rebellious' newcomer named Naruto Uzumaki as that SAME blonde chattered away next to him, looking completely at ease with the fact that he was sitting next to the most repulsive teenager in school.

_Please God don't let this be a dream. _

Sasuke fought down a smile.

_Maybe… my life doesn't completely suck after all. _

**End Line One: Is This A Dream?**

**Minus A/Ns, this chapter clocks in at twenty-two pages. **

**I'm so excited to see what you guys thought!**

**Please review!**

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	2. Line Two: If it is, Please Don't Wake Me

**Yo. **

**Before I say anything, I claim immunity. Do not kill me. **

**I'll make this short. **

**Life has been hectic, plain and simple. Social life has been the pits (with my fucking ex actually having the guts to APOLOGIZE for dumping me on my sixteenth birthday and saying that it was all a lie and that I was worthless and merely a pawn in his fucked up game) and absolutely amazing (with my third wife giving me the first REAL Valentine's Day gift outside of my family that I've ever gotten). I love my life, but my ex needs to die. A guy THAT screwed up doesn't deserve to live. **

**And my Internet has been screwy. I'm sorry. But to make it up, I've got a LOT of updates waiting for you. **

**Hope this makes up for it you guys. **

**Ah, it's Sunday, I feel fat and I still have homework to do at eight at night. Ugh. XP**

**Hope you guys enjoy them. **

**You Found Me**

**Line Two: If it is, Please Don't Wake Me from This High**

Lunch passed, and the bell rang. Slowly, Sasuke stood, Naruto still chattering away.

"What class do you have next, Sasuke?" He asked brightly. The Uchiha blinked at him, his chest feeling strangely light.

"Spanish Five. Why?"

Naruto blinked at him before grinning.

"I have that class too! C'mon – let's go together!" Taking Sasuke's hand, he yanked, pulling the Uchiha along. Sasuke only had his bag, so it was fairly easy to yank him away from the tree without hindrance.

Terror flashed through Sasuke's mind at the contact of skin against skin.

_Gotta get away – _

Digging his heels into the earth, he stopped in his tracks and slapped Naruto's hand away.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped viciously, bristling.

The look Naruto gave him instantly said that the Uchiha had hurt the blonde.

Turning red, Sasuke looked down to the ground, his skin tingling from where Naruto's warm hand had touched it.

_No – don't think about it don't think about it –_

"My apologies," he murmured. "I just don't like people…" he searched frantically for the word, "_touching_…me."

And he didn't know why.

_Is the person who's touching me going to hurt me or kiss me – good God I'm so fucking TERRIFIED –!_

Naruto blinked at him before smiling – but Sasuke could tell it was strained.

"Okay – sure! I'm sorry – I shouldn't have done that without asking!" When he laughed, it didn't seem as strained as his smile had been. "So… sorry!" Then he gave the Uchiha a serious look. "Will you still walk to class with me?"

Sasuke flushed again. He had just hurt the blonde, yet he still wanted to spend time with him? So strange.

_This boy MUST be mental…_

He nodded, his eyes lighting in a warm smile even though his lips didn't move.

_Is this REALLY a dream?_

"Sure – of course," he replied. Naruto grinned and began walking by his side, starting to chatter again.

Sasuke had to fight down a pleased smile. Something was fluttering inside his chest – something he hadn't felt for seven years.

It was something he recognized as hope. It felt like he had just taken a powerful drug and he relished in the feeling. Such a feeling – such an addictive feeling like this – couldn't have been a dream.

_**If it is, please don't wake me from this high.**_

As they entered the school and walked through the halls, talk dissolved into silence at their passing – someone was walking with the _faggot_, after all – but Naruto seemed unaware of it, chattering on aimlessly as Sasuke led him to their next class.

The Uchiha, however, was acutely aware of the accusing glares and the suspicious glances, and he prayed that no one would say anything.

No one did, and Sasuke was thankful for that as they entered the Spanish Five class.

The teacher – Kurenai Yuhi – looked up at them from her book.

"Ah, buenos tardes, Uchiha. Oh…" (Ah, good morning, Uchiha. Oh…) she noticed Naruto behind Sasuke. "Quien es él?" (Who is he?)

"Está un estudiente nuevo, maestra," (He's a new student, teacher) Sasuke replied smoothly. "Está bien?" (Is that all right?)

"Sí, sí," (Yes, yes) Kurenai answered. She walked over to Naruto and smiled, holding out her hand. "Comó está, estudiente nuevo? Como se llama?" (How are you, new student? What's your name?)

Naruto smiled, taking her hand.

"Estoy bien, maestra. Yo soy Naruto Uzumaki," (I'm fine, teacher. I am Naruto Uzumaki.) he replied easily. "Soy de Atlanta." (I am from Atlanta.)

Kurenai nodded.

"Aye – Atlanta. Está bien. Toca una silla, por favor." (Aye – Atlanta. It's good. Take a seat, please.) She nodded to an empty seat, and Naruto grinned at Sasuke before they took their seats. The tardy bell rang, and Kurenai began the lesson, speaking entirely in Spanish.

Sasuke understood her as if she was speaking English, and he allowed himself to drift off, doodling in his notebook.

Naruto listened with one ear, his eyes gaining a glazed look as he watched Kurenai write gibberish on the board.

Sasuke continued to doodle, but a sudden idea that begged to be written down popped into his head, and he began to write in the same notebook that held his doodles.

_**These eyes see everything.**_

_**But they see naught themselves. **_

_**Should they look inward, and see their reflection,**_

_**Only emptiness would stare back at them.**_

_**For these eyes are not real,**_

_**They only wish they were. **_

A note was tossed to him. Blinking – _that idiot is trying this again? – _he took it.

"_**Anyone else as bored as me?" **_

Sasuke fought down a smile before replying.

"_No. You just have a short attention span." _

Now what had possessed him to write that? Normally he would usually write one or two words – never an insult.

But something inside him just ached to insult the loud, chattering blonde – poke fun at him and to make him pout in mock pain.

_Why? WHY?_

He thought about erasing it and writing a simple 'no', but then he realized that he had written it in pen, and he sighed. Eyes on his desk, he passed the note back.

No one snatched it from Naruto's hands.

He read the line, and the blonde's face scrunched up in anger. Furiously, he wrote, nearly throwing the note at Sasuke's head. Biting down a laugh, the Uchiha read his reply.

"_**Bastard! I do not!" **_

Sasuke bit his lip to keep from sniggering.

"_-rolls eyes- I beg to differ, idiot." _

He passed it to the other again.

"_**You don't know anything about me!" **_Came Naruto's heated reply. Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. Slowly – fighting down his anger – he wrote six dangerous words.

"_And YOU know nothing about ME." _

When Naruto read them, he seemed to deflate. Slowly, he wrote his reply, meekly passing it back to the Uchiha.

"_**Sorry." **_Sasuke read. _**"You're right. I don't. But I want to know." **_The Uchiha's eyes widened. _**"…So… do you want to do something after school together today?" **_

Terror seemed to seize up Sasuke's throat, and he fought to relax and breathe.

_He means nothing by it he means nothing by it – _

Swallowing, he slowly wrote his answer.

"_Sorry Naruto." _He wrote. _"I can't. Busy." _

Busy lying on his bed staring up at the blank ceiling of his room for hours on end and wishing to just die.

_I'm such a liar. _

Naruto deflated once more, and Sasuke fought off the guilt was starting to settle in his chest.

_It's for the best – it's for the best –_

When Sasuke received the blonde's reply, he could hear Naruto's sad, dejected voice.

"_**It's okay. I understand. I mean – we just met after all. Haha." **_Sasuke could see Naruto scratching his head sheepishly, the blonde forcing a smile. _**"It's cool. Maybe some other time, then?" **_

Sasuke had a sudden urge to rip apart the paper – to rip it apart and throw the pieces into Naruto's face for even _thinking _that he could change him –

_He doesn't MEAN it like that –_

Swallowing, Sasuke forced himself to write, fighting the powerful thirst to tear the paper into pieces.

"_Maybe. We'll see." _

_No. __**Never**_

When Naruto read the note, he flashed Sasuke a brilliant smile – one that almost made Sasuke smile back.

Almost.

He was afraid of change.

After the bell rang for the end of Spanish, Naruto immediately gathered up his things and bolted to Sasuke's side, walking with him out the door and ignoring the muttering.

"So what class do you have next?" He asked happily. Sasuke blinked, glancing around.

"Drama," he replied crisply. Naruto grinned.

"Awesome! I have drama too! Can you take me there?"

Sasuke smirked.

"Sure, _idiot_."

Naruto glared at him.

"Bastard!" He cried, running after him.

Sasuke hid a smile from behind his hand.

Once he entered the auditorium, Sasuke felt his heart immediately grow lighter. The stage was where he was free – this was where he _belonged_.

The others who were already there looked up at his approach.

"Ah – Uchiha," A former student – Kankuro – stated. "Glad to see you decided to take Drama again. Who's the new kid?"

"He's a recent transfer," Sasuke replied, the tension of the day immediately fading as he walked down a darkened aisle of the auditorium, allowing the magic of the theatre to seep past his barriers and into his system. "Came from Atlanta."

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto stated loudly, his voice echoing. "Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too, Naruto," Kankuro replied as Sasuke leaped onto the apron of the stage. "Welcome to Drama."

Naruto grinned, and he noticed that Sasuke's shoulders had decidedly loosened ever since he had stepped foot inside the auditorium.

"Where's the teacher?" Sasuke asked. Kankuro shrugged.

"Oh, he's around, I'm sure. Give him a minute. As soon as the tardy bell rings – he'll show up."

"Like always." Kankuro's younger sister – Temari – rolled her eyes. Sasuke fought down a laugh, his eyes twinkling – dare Naruto think it – merrily.

"Of course," he replied.

The bell rang. Sasuke and the others on the stage exchanged glances.

"Three, two, one," they stated together.

"HELLO, MY STUDENTS!" A voice bellowed, echoing around the auditorium. "WELCOME TO ANOTHER DAY OF DRAMA!"

"Good afternoon, Mighty Gai," the students chorused.

"WOOHOO!"

A man leaped from a dark corner of the auditorium and flipped in midair, landing with a solid thump on the stage in front of the students, hands on his hips and feet spread shoulder-width apart.

"HELLO, MY STUDENTS!" He bellowed again with vigor, tears streaming in separate waterfalls down his cheeks. "WELCOME TO ANOTHER YOUTHFUL DAY OF DRAMA! TODAY YOU WILL EXPERIENCE THE YOUTHFULNESS OF ACTING, AND THE NEVER-ENDING JOYS OF IMPROVISATION! OH!" He noticed Naruto, whose bright blonde hair was poking out from behind Sasuke's shoulder, quivering. "WHO IS THIS?"

Sasuke fought down a smirk.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki, Gai," he told the teacher. "He's a new student – recently moved here from Atlanta."

"WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY!"

Sasuke wisely stepped out of the way as Gai grabbed onto Naruto's shoulder, yanking him forward and wrapping his arms around the blonde in a powerful hug.

"IT IS SUCH A JOY TO HAVE YET ANOTHER YOUTHFUL BODY AND SPIRITED MIND IN THIS CLASS! I – MIGHTY GAI – WELCOME YOU TO OUR DRAMA CLASS – FULL OF YOUTHFUL ACTING AND SPIRITED PRETEND! COME! INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE REST OF THE CLASS!"

"Can't… breathe!" Naruto managed to squeak out before he was gripped by the waist and heaved up over Gai's head, his feet resting on the man's shoulders.

"INTRODUCE YOURSELF, MY NEW YOUTHFUL STUDENT!" Gai bellowed mightily, letting the other students exchange glances and chuckles. Naruto swallowed, his face turning red.

"I'm… Naruto… Uzumaki…" he managed to say, his throat closed with uncharacteristic nervousness. Scanning the crowd around the teacher for a familiar face, his eyes landed on Sasuke's – on the Uchiha's half-closed, unconcerned eyes as he nonchalantly held his elbows.

Seeing the expression on Naruto's face, Sasuke smirked.

"_What? Are you chicken?" _He seemed to say.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruto continued loudly.

"I'M NARUTO UZUMAKI! BELIEVE IT!" He exclaimed. Suddenly, Gai dropped him, and he would've fallen in a heap on the floor had Kankuro not caught him.

"Be careful, squirt," the elder told him before moving off to stand next to Temari. Gai turned to his students.

"YOU HEARD HIM, MY DEAR FOUNTAINS OF YOUTH! PLEASE MAKE NARUTO FEEL WELCOME! NOW! PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS!"

Jumping off the stage, the students went to sit in the audience.

"That guy is crazy!" Naruto frantically hissed to Sasuke as they took their seats in the front row – Naruto on Sasuke's left and Kankuro on his right. Sasuke smirked slyly at him.

"That's what makes him a good teacher," he replied quietly before turning back to the stage. Naruto – grumbling – turned as well. Gai smiled down at them all, and Naruto winced as the bright lights reflected off the man's teeth. Everyone else seemed unaware of it.

"NOW CLASS!" Gai boomed. "AS YOU ALL KNOW, YOUR SCENES ARE DUE TODAY! LIKE WE ALWAYS DO, WE'LL BE HAVING A CONTEST TO SEE WHICH SCENE IS THE BEST!" Naruto noticed the way Sasuke and Kankuro exchanged secret glances. "REMEMBER, YOUR SCENES MUST INVOLVE REAL PROPS AS WELL AS IMAGINARY, MUST BE A SCENE FROM THE YOUTHFUL PLAY, _THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN_, AND YOU MUST HAVE GOOD VOLUME, COMMITMENT, AND MEMORIZATION! NOW! TO LIST OFF THE SCENES IN ORDER!" Taking a piece of paper out of his vest pocket, he unfolded it and began to read. "FIRST PERFORMING – NEJI AND TENTEN!" Someone in the back whooped. "SECOND – LEE AND TEMARI!"

"HURRAY GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE – REMEMBER – NO JAPANESE HONORIFICS IN AMERICA!"

"OH. SORRY GAI-SEN – I MEAN, GAI!"

_It's amazing how they can say 'OH' in a loud voice but still sound calm. _Sasuke thought vaguely, not really paying attention but keeping his ears pricked for a certain name.

"THIRD – HAKU AND SHIKAMARU!"

"YAY!"

"Ugh. So troublesome."

"THIRD – GAARA, DOING A MONOLOGUE!"

"That's correct."

"AND FOURTH – KANKURO AND SASUKE!"

Now Naruto suddenly knew what the glance was for, for Sasuke and Kankuro shared it again as cheers erupted through the large auditorium.

"Save the best for last, baby!" Sasuke exclaimed, sharing a loud high-five with his partner. Naruto then realized at the major transformation the Uchiha had just went through. He actually had spoken before being spoken too – he was actually grinning – he had actually high-fived someone!

The blonde lowered his eyes and looked away, remembering how Sasuke had reacted when he had grabbed his hand.

"_Don't touch me!" _

He remembered how much that rejection had hurt.

He knew that they had a long way to go – that he had to work hard to gain Sasuke's trust – that they had only met just a few hours ago – but he had a powerful urge to be where Kankuro was – who was laughing and joking with the Uchiha as if they had known each other for years. He wanted Sasuke to smile at him like that as Kankuro tangled his fingers in the Uchiha's long hair and playfully pulled and Sasuke – a grin on his face – slapped his hand away. It was as if Naruto had suddenly ceased to exist.

Sasuke laughed with Kankuro as the other playfully threatened to cut off and sell his long hair, and he pushed the other's hand away, threatening to chop it off and sell it on the black market.

"Che – please Sasuke! You wouldn't have the guts!" Kankuro argued, trying to snake his fingers into the Uchiha's hair again. Sasuke again – pushed him away, a grin on his face.

"Oh yeah – sure! If I had enough guts to pants you during our last scene together, then I'll have more than enough guts to chop your hand off and sell it! Besides…" the Uchiha's grin grew sinister. "I need the money. C'mon Kankuro – be a pal, and _give me your hand_!"

Sasuke's voice grew decidedly grew deeper, and more ragged – as if an evil demon had entered his body and changed his voice. The change was so flawless – so utterly complete – that Naruto, who wasn't even looking at Sasuke's twisted, satanic expression like one insane, squeaked in fright and attempted to hide underneath his seat.

Hearing the strange noise, Sasuke dropped the act and looked over his shoulder to see nothing of Naruto except the legs poking out from beneath the seat.

Unaware that HE had been the one to scare Naruto, the Uchiha slipped from his seat and kneeled on the floor beside the legs.

"Naruto?" He asked. The blonde's voice was muffled by the chair seat above him, and Sasuke had to strain to hear.

"_Don't take my hands don't take my hands PLEASE don't take my hands!" _

Sasuke – realizing what had happened – fought down a fit of laughter as he rested his elbow on the chair seat to steady himself.

"Naruto – that was called _acting_," he calmly told the blonde through the upholstery. "I'm not going to take your hands – I wouldn't want them anyway. Now get out of there or you're going to miss a really good show."

Naruto – after a moment – squirmed as if trying to do what Sasuke ordered, but then he stopped.

"_I can't." _He said through the cushion. The Uchiha blinked and listened harder.

"WHAT?" He asked loudly. Naruto tried again.

"_I CAN'T!" _The blonde repeated loudly. _"I'M STUCK!" _

Sasuke heard and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to try not to scream. The stupid blonde idiot was _STUCK?_

_Ugh. It's too much work, dammit all. _

But after a few moments of seeing Naruto squirm in vain underneath the seat at his side, Sasuke sighed.

_Might as well. I DID get him down there anyway. _

_**No you didn't. It was his own stupidity that got him stuck. Just leave him there. **_

Sasuke glanced over at Kankuro – who was trying so _hard_ not to laugh at the blonde's predicament – and then back to the legs that were poking out beneath the seat with a raised, disbelieving eyebrow.

_Yeah, but… _He scrambled for a reason._ I don't want him to feel like he's been abandoned. _Multiple times when he had gotten hurt and desperately sought help only to realize that none would be given flashed through his mind, and he sighed. _Besides… _He fought down a small smile that he had no idea where it originated from. _I want him to see the scenes. _

_**You mean YOUR scene. **_That annoying voice immediately corrected. Rolling his eyes, and mentally crushing the disembodied voice underneath his foot, Sasuke shifted to help the poor idiot.

"Naruto…" he calmly told the chair, getting down on his knees next to the flats of Naruto's feet and gripping the ankles. "I'm going to chop off more than your hands when you get out of there."

Right before he tightened his grip and began to pull, the blonde panicked at the threat, tearing his feet from Sasuke's grasp and lashing out with them, striking the Uchiha in the jaw and forcing him back to collapse on the floor with a surprised yelp.

Kankuro was at his side in an instant.

"Sasuke! You all right?"

The Uchiha numbly shook his head to clear it as he raised a hand, tenderly fingering his throbbing jaw. He felt a great ache that had nothing to do with physical pain well up in his stomach, but he pushed it away. It wouldn't do at all if Kankuro saw tears.

_He didn't mean it – it was an accident – he didn't MEAN it – _

But some part of him raged at Naruto while crying at the same time, yelling that yes, he _did _do it on purpose, because the blonde had _never _liked him – only pretended in order to lift him up only to drop him in a heap onto the floor.

Sasuke – as quickly as he could – pushed away those dark thoughts and the tears.

_If he wanted to hurt me, he would've done it already. _

He pushed a little harder than necessary on the bruising area and winced.

_**But he already has. **_

"Sasuke?" His eyes snapped open and he looked up to see Kankuro looking at him worriedly. "You okay?"

"_I just got kicked in the jaw by the first person in my grade that actually bothered to make friends with me in eight years and you ask me if I'm __**ALL RIGHT**__? What do YOU think, dammit?"_

He had such a desperate urge to scream.

But he didn't dare.

The Uchiha cracked a smile and nodded.

"Yeah – I'm fine – don't worry."

Kankuro blinked as he noticed something. Slowly, he raised a hand and gently touched Sasuke's left cheek.

"Hey – I didn't notice it before, but you have this awful mark on your cheek. What happened?"

Sasuke – for a moment – panicked. He had completely forgotten about the fight with the Sound Four that morning.

_Don't let him see don't let him know – think of something QUICK you idiot – _

He laughed, flapping his hand dismissively.

"Oh – that's nothing! Don't worry about it! I just ran over a bump on my skateboard and fell off! I landed on that cheek! Don't worry – I'm fine!"

Then he quickly (but discreetly) hid his palms by shifting and slowly – as not to startle the blonde – began wrapping his fingers around the boy's ankles again. Kankuro glared at him.

"Sasuke, that doesn't look like a bruise you would get from kissing concrete – it looks like someone HIT you –!"

"Okay Naruto," Sasuke loudly cut off Kankuro, talking to the blonde and making the other glare at him more heatedly. He let his voice echo like he was on the stage. "I'm going to pull you out, okay? Don't – kick – _again_." His voice fell and grew decisively more dangerous. There was a little 'eep' below the chair, but Naruto stilled. Sasuke shook his head and rolled his eyes, tightening his grip. "So help me God, I don't kill this idiot," he muttered angrily before leaning back and yanking.

There was tension only for a moment.

Naruto came out with a loud 'pop', sliding across the floor to slam into Sasuke as the unexpected release made the Uchiha fall back, sending them both tumbling across the carpet.

They stopped with a 'thump' against the foot of the stage's wooden apron, Naruto on top and Sasuke on bottom.

Groaning in pain, Sasuke – at first – didn't realize what kind of position they were in. But then – as his mind cleared – his body suddenly registered abnormal warmth swallowing him from above with the cool carpet at his back and the cold wood of the stage at his left side. He could suddenly feel a decisive, heavy, soft weight settling on top of him, rhythmically shifting and leaving the Uchiha not at all – Sasuke couldn't believe it – uncomfortable as hot, steady breath washed over his ear and moved his bangs, ticking his cheek.

Fighting down panic, he froze, not even daring to breathe.

_No – please God don't tell me it is what I think it is –_

Sasuke opened his eyes.

_If it is I know I'll never be able to live afterwards – _

He opened his eyes to see his hands clenching the fabric of another uniform's jacket.

The lack of gold bow told him it was a boy's uniform.

Sasuke felt his blood run cold as his stomach – defying gravity – dropped into his feet as his heart leapt into his throat.

The jacket was warm.

It was warm with another person's body heat.

Sasuke's heart threatened to stop.

_No – no – get away –!_

But he was frozen – frozen beneath the person he knew now as Naruto.

_Goddammit why can't I move –?_

He felt his cheeks flush as his fingers – still clutching the blonde's uniform – began to tremble.

_NO!_

At Naruto's sudden, sharp intake of breath as he too realized where they were, Sasuke's body suddenly seemed to be alive again.

_Gotta get away –_

"_**GET OFF!**_" He finally managed to bellow, his body acting like its instant-release springs had been freed as his legs shifted to bend in between his and Naruto's bodies and quickly straightened, effectively launching the blonde off of him and into the air.

With a cry, Naruto collapsed onto the floor nine feet away, tumbling to a stop against the front row seats.

Gasping, Sasuke immediately sat up, drawing his knees protectively into his chest with back against the stage and wanting a freezing cold shower to wash off the feel of Naruto against him – on top of him – because his body had fucking _liked _it! His body was flushed with – not just embarrassment – but with a heat he had never felt before. It was intense – like there was a fire raging inside of him – fire that caused bursts of pleasure along his nerves wherever it touched them.

He knew what it was.

But he feared it. He didn't know why, but he feared it like nothing else.

_God what's wrong with me –?_

Shaking, Sasuke put his head in between his knees. Kankuro saw this immediately, and leaped up to go to him. Kneeling beside the Uchiha, the elder drama student's eyes scrunched up in worry.

"Sasuke?" He breathed softly, not daring to touch the younger. "What's wrong?"

Numbly, Sasuke shook his head, shuddering as a sudden fit of chills overtook his small frame. Kankuro dared to inch a little closer.

"Sasuke?" He repeated. "Are you feeling sick? Do I need to take you to the nurse's –?"

The Uchiha's hand gripping his shirt stopped him. Slowly, Sasuke raised his head from his knees, shaking it while the trembling stilled but refusing to look Kankuro in the eye.

"No – I'm fine," he managed to say, mentally patting himself on the back for making his voice sound steady – albeit a bit wavy. "Just a little…" he gulped, frantically searching for the word "_embarrassed_… that's all." He raised a hand to wipe his forehead. "I'm fine."

_Aroused and scared shitless that someone's gonna find out, but fine. _

Kankuro surveyed him critically for a moment, but then shrugged and held out a hand.

"C'mon then. We're holding up the scenes."

Nodding, Sasuke reached up and gripped Kankuro's hand, allowing the older teen to lift him up into a standing position.

The Uchiha didn't dare look over at Naruto as he tried to imagine a freezing cold river with _really _sharp, jagged rocks.

The blonde was standing now, and Kankuro shot him a withering look that sent him cowering in his chair.

"Don't do that again," the elder growled before taking a seat. "_Idiot_." Sasuke – reluctantly – followed him, and slowly took his seat, carefully crossing his legs. Naruto blinked up at him from around his arms, which had been crossed over his head to ward off any possible blows to his noggin.

"What'd I do?" He asked. Numbly – still remembering that intense heat – Sasuke shook his head.

"Don't worry about it," he murmured, averting his gaze by looking up at the stage, even though the scene hadn't started yet and that Naruto was still staring at him. Sasuke had to crush the urge to strangle the blonde.

_Dammit you idiot stop LOOKING at me –!_

"NOW!" Gai's voice rang through the auditorium. "LET THE SCENE BEGIN! NEJI, TENTEN, YOU ARE FIRST!"

Amidst clapping and cat-calls, Neji and Tenten stood up on the stage, a couch behind them.

"Hi, I'm Tenten Chirihara, and I'm playing Brigette, the French Maid," she greeted the class as she waved, a smile on her face. Neji gave a half-bow, hands behind his back.

"And I'm Neji Hyuuga. I'll be playing Inspector Klaus Webber."

"The scene is right after Leonie – the other maid – is tickled to death by Milo, the first Frankenstein in the play," Tenten explained. "Klaus is interrogating Brigette for any information on the murder."

"WONDERFUL YOUTHFUL VIGOR, YOU TWO!" Gai called from somewhere farther back. "WONDERFUL VOLUME! YOU TWO MAY START!"

Tenten and Neji both nodded and turned to face each other. Tenten, hands wringing together in front of her, spoke with a French accent.

"Forgive me, Herr Inspector, but I must apologize for ze lateness of ze Madame. But by ze time they took poor Leonie away, it wuz already daylight. She only got to bed a few 'ours ago."

Neji, his back stiff with his hands behind his back, cleared his throat and rolled back on his heels.

"Well, that's fine Brigette. That gives us time to…" he gave her a suggestive grin "_further_… our acquaintance."

Tenten – as Brigette – gasped.

"_Inspector!_" She scolded. "How can you tink of such a thing at a time when –" she gasped again, and motioned to the floor beneath their feet "why, when 'ere beneath our feet es ze spot that poor Leonie laughed out 'er life, just a few 'ours ago."

They continued, and Sasuke was immediately caught up in the scene, having remembered the lines and enjoying the way Tenten did her accent.

Naruto though – wasn't paying attention. He was looking at Sasuke.

"Sasuke," he breathed, afraid of distracting the actors. The Uchiha didn't reply, and Naruto glared at him. "SASUKE!"

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Don't talk to me, Naruto," he hissed, not taking his eyes off the actors.

Naruto – his eyes narrowing in confusion and hurt – was silent for a moment.

"Interrogation?" Tenten asked to Neji's question. "Does zat mean you're going to ask me questions like I wuz on ze witness stand? Jus' like they do in mystery novels?"

Neji looked down in thought before clearing his throat.

"Well, something like that, yes," he replied. Tenten clapped her hands.

"Oh – goody!" She exclaimed, whirling to move over to the couch before spinning to face Neji – as the Inspector – again, gracefully setting herself down and crossing her legs. She smiled at Neji. "Shoot, Inspector." And then she realized what she was saying. "Not literally of course!"

They both laughed, as Neji took a seat next to her.

"But… Sasuke!" Naruto persisted. He raised a hand. Sasuke – afraid he was going to touch his cheek – whipped his head around to face him.

"_Naruto –!_"

The blonde's thumb landed gently on the corner of his mouth, the fingers of that hand barely touching the Uchiha's cheek. When he spoke, his voice was soft, his eyes drilling into Sasuke's.

"But…" he breathed. "You're bleeding."

Sasuke could taste it – he had been absentmindedly licking away the blood from Naruto's accidental kick before, but then he had been too wrapped up in the scene to keep doing it.

The blood now dripped from the corner of his mouth, a dark line that stood out sharply against the Uchiha's pale skin.

It was then Sasuke noticed how close Naruto was.

_Oh God –_

"Everybody loved 'er!" Tenten continued dramatically. Then she blinked and looked over at Neji. "Or… at least they tried to – three or four times a week." She leaned back over the back of the couch again, thrusting up her chest and holding the back of her hand to her forehead. "Oh, I don't know what I'm going to do _without _'er!"

Neji slowly looked over at Tenten's vulnerable position – making laughs break out among the others in the audience. Then he looked back out to the audience just as slowly, and then raised his eyebrows in an expression that took place of a shrug – making more laughs erupt – before clearing his throat and continuing.

"You mean to say that you two were actually friends? The way I heard you speaking to each other a few nights back, I can hardly find that possible."

Tenten – as he was speaking – had taken her hand from her head and lifted it up as in thought, and then straightened to sit correctly on the couch.

"Be that – as it may, Inspector," she began. "While Leonie was alive, she 'ad ze tendency to be a real…" she looked to the audience, as if searching for the right word "_pig_." She grew teary-eyed again. "Now that she es dead, she es an angel…" she looked back to Neji. "And my _dearest_… friend."

Neji – after a moment of thought – shrugged.

"I… don't really get it, but okay," he stated, scribbling something on the small notebook he had.

Sasuke and Naruto hadn't looked away from each other – the blonde's thumb was still against the point of impact – where blood continued to well around the pad of his finger, warm against the raven's chilled skin.

The Uchiha's mouth had parted slightly – frozen where he had stopped speaking. Naruto's breath – warm and smelling of the chicken and mashed potatoes from the hot lunch line – washed over his lips and into his open mouth.

He felt the front of his uniform begin to tighten again as Naruto – slowly – began to lean forward, unable to believe that Sasuke was letting him get so close.

Sasuke couldn't move, his mind completely blank.

_Dammit you idiot do something or he's going to get the wrong idea – _

Finally, he raised a hand and smacked Naruto's away, furiously rubbing the blood off his chin before it dripped onto his uniform.

"Don't touch me," he managed to murmur viciously, almost forgetting to say anything.

Naruto – kicking himself for such daring – settled back in his seat, huddling up and looking away at the floor before shifting his attention back to the scene.

Sasuke – to get his mind off the little… _problem_, growing in his pants – sucked in a breath and tried to focus on the two actors.

Tenten and Neji were standing again, face to face with Tenten's forearm resting on Neji's shoulder as her fingers played with the nape of his neck, Neji looking a little nervous at their close proximity. Tenten was running the index finger of her left hand along the Hyuuga's chest as she spoke.

"He looked like an old… _bedspread_ my mother 'sed to 'ave," she replied to his question. "Except, not really 'orrible." Neji swallowed.

"Excuse me…" he managed to say as Tenten gazed up at him. "_Bedspread_?"

A few scattered laughs broke out at the strangled, choked-out word. Tenten gave him a clever, seductive smile before looking down at his chest.

"You know…" she began. "A patch 'ere…" she ran her finger down his chest. "A patch there." She raised the finger and then looked up at Neji again, catching his gaze. They stood there for a moment before Neji broke away from her, shaking himself and straightening his clothes. Clearing his throat, he walked past Tenten, staring at his notebook.

"SO," he began loudly. "You're saying, that Leonie's killer is a, four foot eleven - only moderately-horrible-looking bedspread – that is currently stalking the streets of Geneva?"

Tenten blinked as if in thought, wringing her hands.

"Sort of," she replied. Then her eyes narrowed and she stood straighter. "Yes."

Neji merely looked at her for a moment before smirking good-naturedly.

"Well, at least he won't be too hard to spot in a crowd," he commented. Tenten gasped and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Oh, do you really tink you'd be able to catch 'im, Inspector?" She asked. Neji managed a smile, keeping his arms well behind his back.

"Well, I'll give it my best shot. Five or six if I have to," he stated. They stood there like that for a moment, and at the same time, turned to the audience.

"Scene!" They said together, both bowing amidst applause.

"SO, MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS!" Gai called from behind them. "WHAT WERE THREE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THAT SCENE? TEMARI!"

Her voice floated into the auditorium.

"The chemistry is amazing between you too. You're both wonderful actors, and you flow together really nicely, so good job on that," she stated as the two on stage smiled and thanked her.

"VERY GOOD! LEE!"

"YOU HAD SO MUCH YOUTH! I LOVED IT!"

"Heh… thank you Lee," Tenten said, trying not to giggle as Neji rolled his eyes.

"WONDERFUL! WHAT ABOUT YOU SASUKE?"

The Uchiha was startled out of his thoughts, not having realized the scene was finished, seeing as his brain had – once again – floated to Naruto.

"Hm?" He asked quietly and Kankuro looked at him strangely. It wasn't like the Uchiha to become lost in thought like that – especially during scenes.

"AFTER ALL, YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY!"

Sasuke realized what the class was doing and relaxed, settling more comfortably into his chair and smiling up at Neji and Tenten, though the bright lights in their eyes stopped them from seeing him.

"Tenten, I absolutely loved the accent," he stated, making clapping break out among few of the students. "I mean, a French accent is not the hardest accent to use, but _perfecting _it is what's difficult, and you did exactly that." The clapping grew louder along with the whooping, and Sasuke was forced to raise his voice as Kankuro motioned for the rest of the class to shut up. The Uchiha began to laugh as he spoke. "I mean, you didn't break the accent, you didn't fall back into your original voice when you started to speak – you stayed _in character_ all throughout the scene, and that's what made it good, that's what made it flow. Neji – you too." He motioned to the Hyuuga. "Both of you – in short – did really, _really _well. Good job," he stated. With another round of applause, Tenten and Neji took a seat. Kankuro spoke with Sasuke as they did.

"They've gotten a lot better," he breathed quietly. Sasuke nodded sagely.

"Yeah – remember last year? Tenten was so quiet at first!"

Kankuro laughed.

"Yeah – it's hard to believe that that shy little girl we knew last year was actually so loud!"

"I heard that, Kankuro!" Tenten's echoing voice made the two boys laugh.

"Yeah – and do you remember Neji when he first transferred? Man – that guy took everything _WAY _too seriously!"

Kankuro laughed.

"I know – and he wanted to be a drama kid? What_ever_!" He exclaimed. Sasuke laughed again.

"Kankuro, that made you sound so much like a girl, it was _scary_," he stated. The other grinned at him.

"What? That's _nothing _compared to my gay man voice!"

Sasuke vigorously shook his head and slapped his hands over his ears.

"No! Kankuro – _DON'T_!"

"Like, oh my God, that is so _crazy_," Kankuro stated, making his voice go higher but still stay slightly masculine. "Did you, like, _see_ her shirt? That, like, totally did _not _go with her shoes. And her skirt, like, didn't go with her purse, and that's, like, so _tacky_. So – like –"

"_I DO NOT SOUND LIKE THAT_!" Sasuke roared as Kankuro continued, a grin on the elder's face. "By God Kankuro, if you don't stop, I will chop your tongue off and make you eat it!" He exclaimed, his hands still over his ears. "SHUT UP!"

The bell rang.

Immediately, people began to move, gathering up their things to leave.

"HAVE A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON, MY YOUTHFUL STUDENTS! SEE YOU TOMORROW!"

"I'll see you later, Sasuke!" Kankuro exclaimed as he swung his bag over his shoulder. Sasuke gripped his bag's shoulder strap from where it rested on the floor.

"Are you leaving already?" He asked. Kankuro nodded.

"Yeah. I have to get back to the college for some make-up work. Being sick is a bitch." He waved, running off. "See ya!"

Naruto blinked as he too gathered up his stuff.

"College? You mean Kankuro doesn't go to this school?"

Sasuke gave him a blank, unnerving stare as he started to leave. At first, Naruto didn't think he was going to answer, but as they left the auditorium and entered the river of students, the blonde managed to hear his reply.

"No. None of those guys do. Kankuro is a junior in college, while his little sister Temari is a sophomore. Their littlest brother, Gaara, is a freshman. Neji, Lee, and Tenten are also sophomores, while Haku and Shikamaru are freshmen as well. Since the college doesn't offer drama, they come here to take it. We're the only two people in that class that still go to high school."

"But there's only, like, eight other people in that class," Naruto commented. "Why is it so small?"

Sasuke gave him a grim smile as he pulled his skateboard out of his locker, slamming the door shut and shouldering his bag.

"Not many people can deal with Mighty Gai," he stated, heading towards the doors.

Naruto, blinking, shrugged and followed.

They kept walking – Sasuke ignoring the hateful murmurs and spiteful glances and Naruto staring at the ground – until they reached the gates.

Stopping, Sasuke rolled his shoulders – trying in vain to ease the tension that had reappeared as soon as the bell ending class had rung – and turned right.

"See ya," he stated, a little more sharply than necessary. Naruto winced and spun to face his back.

"Wait!" He exclaimed, stopping the Uchiha. Sasuke turned his head only enough to look at the blonde through one eye, and Naruto – scrambling to find a good reason why he had stopped him – went on.

"I'm… I'm sorry about what happened in drama! I know you like your personal space and I know we just met and I know _ALL _of that… I just don't know what came over me." He lowered his eyes and his voice softened. "So… sorry."

There was silence between them for a moment as Sasuke merely looked at him from his left eye.

"Hmph!" He replied, making Naruto wince. "You really are an idiot." Sasuke's voice – dare Naruto think it – seemed to have gotten warmer. The Uchiha faced front again and continued to walk. "See you tomorrow."

With that, Sasuke shifted his skateboard in his hands and threw it, sending it rolling along the ground as he raced after it and jumped on, easily gaining his balance as he sped off.

Naruto's eyes followed him until the Uchiha turned a corner and he sighed, wondering if Sasuke had forgiven him.

Shops passed in a blur before Sasuke's eyes as he skated along. Staring ahead, he remembered his thoughts from before fifth period cynically.

_**If it is, please don't wake me from this high.**_

_Tsk. My ass._

**End Line Two: If It is, Please Don't Wake Me from this High**

**Once again, keeping this short. **

**Gotta love Gai. Really. **

**Hope you liked it. **

**Review?**

**Ja ne.**

**DDB**


	3. Line Three: I've Become Comforably Numb

You Found Me

**Hello everyone!**

**Ha… how long has it been since the last update? Two weeks? Three weeks? OMG.**

**Well, here's the excuse corner! :D**

**I have become obsessed with rping. I will just flat out say it – I am now officially obsessed. –shakes head- It's insane. XD And I'm making an rp for a guild I'm in on Gaiaonline – the owner of the guild's a really good friend of mine, and he put me in charge of the rp, so… -grins- I've got 9 factions and over 50 subfactions, I need to make the map of the world, come up with different scenarios that the factions can take part in that all lead to a massive full-scale war. XD I KNOW! –squeals- **

**I'm also taking a couple of online courses to help me get on track for graduation. I've got a full year to do them, but whatever. XD**

**And I also have English summer work that I have yet to start. –rolls eyes- Oh joy.**

**That, and I'm working on something extra duper SUPER special for you guys. It's just that I want to write up at least like, twenty chapters before I post it. **

**By the way, please nominate me and my stories for livejournal's Naruto Fanfiction Awards. Please see Nao Angel's profile for a link to the Fanfiction Awards site and details on how to nominate. :D I'd nominate myself, but… that's against the rules, so… XD**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter you guys! Thanks so much for being so patient! I'm trying my best! :(**

**You Found Me**

**Line Three: I've Become Comfortably Numb**

Sasuke reached his apartment without incident and unlocked the door, stepping inside and flipping on the light switch next to the door.

It was as he had left it.

Sighing, he traveled to the kitchen, leaning his skateboard against the wall underneath the light switch and slipping off his shoes, setting down his bag on the nearest available counter space and closing his eyes, taking a deep breath and rolling back his shoulders in a vain attempt to loosen the kinks.

Scratching an itch on his head, he opened his eyes to dully see that the window above the sink had been smashed, and glass was scattered all over the counter and floor.

He stared at the scene with only a vague air of interest.

_I was wondering why it was abnormally bright in here. _

_Not to mention a bit cold._

He merely looked at the mess for a moment.

_Crap. That's __**ANOTHER**__ maintenance bill that's coming out of my deposit. Do I have any money __**LEFT**__ in that thing?_

He closed his eyes, grunting tiredly.

_Ugh. Why so early in the afternoon? It's so not worth it. _

Sighing again, he left to put his shoes back on.

Returning to step on top of the broken glass shards without fear, he looked into the sink to see a heavy red brick. Whoever threw the brick into the window must have been a body builder, considering the fact that he was five levels above the ground.

_Are they THAT determined to send me a message that will only degrade their intelligence more?_

Fighting back another sigh, he reached down into the sink and gripped the brick, picking it up and turning the other side to face him. Ugly words were scrawled in black permanent marker, not surprising him in the slightest.

"_**Get out of our school, you faggot!" **_

Shaking his head – _People are so unoriginal these days. Really, a brick through a window? C'mon. In this day and age, they could've at least thought of something more creative_ – Sasuke turned from the broken window and tossed the brick into a lower cabinet with the others, reminding himself to clean it free of marker later, to tape up the window, and to avoid his landlord as long as humanly possible.

_I'm surprised it had nothing to do with Naruto. _He thought blankly, remembering the hateful looks he received from Ino and Sakura when they saw Naruto walking with him. _Oh well. _

Walking to the closet to grab a broom to sweep up the mess, Sasuke took a glance at the clock on the opposite wall.

Four-fifteen.

His eyes widened, and he stopped in his tracks, his heel barely touching the ground in front of him.

_Fuck. It's after four already? _

He bolted for his bedroom, the mess on the kitchen floor completely forgotten.

"FUCK I'M GONNA BE LATE!"

Quickly changing into his work uniform and telling his stomach he'd eat during lunch break later, he pulled his bag over his shoulder and yanked on his shoes to sprint for the door, grabbing his skateboard and quickly locking the door to dash down the stairs, keys jingling where they were tied to a belt loop on his right hip.

_God please let me get there on time!_

-- -- -- -- -- --

"You're late, Uchiha!"

Sasuke burst in through the swinging doors into the kitchen, gasping and doubling over to hold his knees as his manager glared down at him.

"I'm sorry Sir!" He managed to gasp. "School –!"

"Whatever! Just get your utility belt and start serving tables! Karin has been working _YOUR _tables for nearly ten minutes!"

"Yessir!" Sasuke replied before bolting to the employee lounge.

Another waiter looked up at his entrance.

"Oh, hey Sasuke!" He greeted good-naturedly. "You're late."

Sasuke glared at him.

"I know that, _Suigetsu_!" He hissed, tossing his skateboard into his assigned locker and taking his glasses off, shoving them inside along with the skateboard. He cursed. "Dammit, your uncle is scary!" He exclaimed, taking a case from the locker, he took out contacts that were being cleansed and carefully popped them in, blinking to clear his vision before snapping the case shut and putting it back. Suigetsu shrugged.

"Sorry Sasuke. Can't help it. But he means well. Zabuza is only looking after the restaurant. I'm sure he was just worried about you."

Rolling his eyes at the last statement, Sasuke irritably yanked out the belt that held pens, a notepad, a small, black folder, and an endless supply of straws, pulling the straps around his slim hips and hastily trying to tie it without looking. Suigetsu – sighing – went over to the Uchiha and gripped his shoulder, turning him around to reveal the other's back.

"Here – let me do it."

Quick and business-like, the other quickly tied the straps in a secure knot while Sasuke pulled his long hair into a ponytail before the silver-head stepped back.

"Okay. There you go. You better hurry."

Sasuke whirled and bolted out the door.

"Thanks Suigetsu!" He called over his shoulder.

The other smiled.

-- -- -- -- -- --

Naruto – sighing and uncharacteristically depressed for some awkward, unknown reason – decided that he wanted to spend some time alone to grab a bite to eat before heading back to his house.

Choosing a moderate place – one not too sloppy or too snobbish – named _Shark Tails_, he opened the entrance doors and stepped inside.

The lighting was soft – calm – and though loud music was slamming and neon signs burning at the opposite end where the bar was located, the area for the general public that lay in front of Naruto now was tranquil and quiet, a lamp with a single bulb surrounded by stained glass hanging over each table. The color scheme was light green seats and dark mahogany backs – including the booths.

Even though it was eight at night, it was a weekday, so the place was moderately empty, and Naruto mentally patted himself on the back for such a good choice.

Smiling, the hostess took a menu from the stand beside her and motioned for him to follow, seating him in a booth next to a window. Grinning at the girl, Naruto nodded to her and looked down at his menu.

Now, what was he in the mood for today?

-- -- -- -- -- --

Sasuke winced and held his growling stomach as he leaned against the wall leading to the small wooden cubical where the waiters and waitresses got the drinks and rang up bills, praying that no one new showed up, because he had already delivered food to the only people sitting in his section and he had at least ten minutes before he needed to do _anything_ –

"Sasuke, someone new is in your section. You wanna go see what he wants to drink?"

The Uchiha the inside of his lip to keep from snapping at Karin – the girl had held down his part of the restaurant for ten extra minutes after all – and nodded, pushing himself off the wall.

"Sure," he stated, walking off, fighting to keep the snarl off his face.

_I'm gonna kill 'em. I swear to God I'm going to rip their stomach out of their bodies and make them eat it – how's THAT for fast food, you fuckers –?_

Wincing, he held his rumbling stomach again.

"_Don't worry about it." _He told the organ. _"My lunch break is in twelve minutes – I'll get some food in you, don't worry."_

He wondered vaguely if everyone else talked to their internal organs.

_That does it – I'm going completely senile. _

Pasting a smile on his face, he entered the main dining part of the restaurant, trying to ignore the steamed lobster and cooked lamb that enticed his nose AND his appetite.

Looking around, he noticed a new menu that wasn't there before in one of the booths, propped up and the person looking at it hidden from view. Forcing to keep his smile genuine, he walked over; taking the notepad from one of the pouches on his utility belt and flipping it open, sliding the pen out from behind his ear.

"Good evening! Welcome to _Shark Tails_ – what can I get for you today?"

The person shifted to raise his head, and Sasuke found himself looking at a shocking mop of blonde hair.

"Sasuke?"

His eyes widened, and he took a step back, that day's events flashing through his mind.

"_Naruto?_"

The blonde blinked dumbly for a moment. The person in front of him _couldn't _have been Sasuke. This person's eyes were bright and black, while the Uchiha's had been dull and tired behind black frames and clouded lenses. Clad in sleek black with long hair in a high ponytail, this person couldn't have been Sasuke – there was no way.

This person was _beautiful_.

Naruto realized he was staring before he laughed and grinned, making the Uchiha want to smack him.

"Hey Sasuke! Fancy seeing you again! I didn't know you worked here." He motioned to the restaurant. Sasuke impatiently rolled his yes.

"Well, no shit Sherlock – considering the fact that I never _told _you!" He snapped irritably. His manager passed by.

"Are you being nice to our customers, Uchiha?" He snapped dangerously over Sasuke's shoulder, never once looking at the Uchiha or stopping as he continued on with his rounds. Sasuke winced and called after him in the best cheery voice he could.

"Of course Sir! Always!"

As soon as he said that, his shoulders slumped and he rolled his eyes, blowing a bang out of his face. Naruto laughed.

"You know, I almost didn't recognize you with your hair up like that," he stated. Sasuke blinked and looked up in thought before he remembered that – yes, his hair WAS in a ponytail – before looking back at Naruto. The blonde grinned. "It doesn't look half-bad on you! It makes you look cute!"

Sasuke flushed.

"Idiot blonde!" He hissed, quickly checking to make sure his manager wasn't listening. He leaned forward slightly to hiss dangerously to Naruto. "Do you want something or not?"

Naruto blinked, and then – as if remembering where he was – laughed.

"Sure! Of course!"

Sasuke sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes – once more discreetly checking again to see if his manager was watching. The blonde grinned.

"I'd like a Root Beer Float," he told the Uchiha cheerfully. Sasuke blinked.

"They have Root Beer Floats here?" He asked. Naruto nodded.

"Yup!"

Sasuke merely stared at him for a moment before snatching the menu from his hands, searching through the drink list.

"How come _I _never knew of this?" He demanded the laminated paper, making Naruto giggle.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw his manager walking back down his isle, so he immediately slammed the menu back down onto the table and leaned over it, discreetly gripping the closest sleeve of Naruto's and yanking him down so their ears were nearly touching as Sasuke pasted on a fake smile, pointing to something on the menu.

"Yessir – we _DO _have boiled lobster, it's one of our specialties! See? It's right here…" he continued babbling nonsense about the different ways Naruto could ask for the lobster to be cooked until his manager passed him with a critical eye and moved on to patrol the bar. Sighing in relief, Sasuke released Naruto and straightened, nervously rubbing the creases out of his work shirt. The blonde laughed.

"You act like he's out to get you, Sasuke," he commented. The Uchiha fought down a shudder.

"That's because he _IS_," he replied – almost urgently. "He's so scary sometimes!"

Karin then chose to pass him from behind, carrying a large tray of food for her part of the restaurant.

"Sasuke, no conversing with the customers," she reminded him quietly as she passed, making the Uchiha start as he remembered that – yes – Naruto _was _a customer.

_Dammit this idiot is going to get me fired –!_

Taking a deep breath to regain his self, Sasuke reformed his cool demeanor, scribbling on his notepad.

"All right – so that's one Root Beer Float – anything else, Sir?" He asked politely. Naruto pouted at the fact that he was being treated like any regular customer – something Sasuke didn't miss but pretended he did – but replied anyway.

"Yes. The steamed lobster tails sound really good! And maybe a side order of chili cheese fries!" He said with a grin. Sasuke nearly drooled at the mental picture of the large basket of chili cheese fries – something Naruto didn't miss – before shaking his head to clear it and taking the menu from the blonde's hands, folding it and neatly tucking it under his arm before he continued to scribble.

"All right – that's the steamed lobster tails appetizer – two or three tails?"

"Two, please," Naruto replied, becoming just as polite – like they were merely something less than cool acquaintances and nothing more. Sasuke nodded and wrote the number on his pad.

"And that's one order of chili cheese fries. Okay – I'll go turn this into the chef, and I'll get you your Root Beer Float and some bread to hold you over. I'll be right back!" He whirled and headed off to the hall leading to the kitchen, passing another waiter with silver hair.

"Hey Sasuke!" He cooed, mockingly affectionate – like a playful catcall – as the Uchiha passed. The other slapped him in the arm with Naruto's former menu – but not nearly hard enough to hurt. Naruto realized that Sasuke was playing with this other waiter – like he had been playing with Kankuro before.

Then Naruto realized why he had been depressed in the first place.

"Shut up and do your job, _Suigetsu_!" Sasuke scolded, his stern tone ruined by the laugher in his voice and the grin splitting open his face. Suigetsu laughed as well.

"Love you too, Sasuke!" He called over his shoulder as he carried the large tray full of food towards the opposite end of the restaurant. The Uchiha rolled his eyes and shook his head with that hopeless smile on his face, turning to vanish into the swinging doors.

Naruto wondered if Sasuke would ever smile at him like that.

A few minutes passed, and the Uchiha returned, setting down the large Root Beer Float in front of the blonde along with two small loafs of warm, dark brown bread on a cutting board, along with a knife and a small cup of fluffy butter. Sasuke set a straw in front of the blonde before speaking.

"I talked to the chef – your food should be out in about fifteen minutes."

With that, Sasuke left to check the other tables. Naruto thought it was too quiet at his table without someone to talk to.

He looked up to see Sasuke talking to the other waiter known as Suigetsu a few minutes afterwards, not far from where he was seated. Apparently, they had a few minutes to spare.

"So are you going to come with us tonight?"

"I can't, Suigetsu – I told you – I can't waste what little money I have on alcohol! Besides, I have to work nightshift at _Bondage_ tonight – you know that!"

_Bondage_ was one of the most well-known clubs in the downtown part of Los Angeles.

Naruto's eyes widened.

Suigetsu began to whine, shifting from foot to foot.

"But you _work _at a club! Can't you let us in with a discount?"

Sasuke glared at him, arms crossed.

"Sui, I've explained this to you before! I can't let you in – you're a minor!"

The silver-headed waiter glared at him.

"So are you!"

Sasuke began shifting uncomfortably.

"I'm an exception," he muttered bitterly. "It's not like I enjoy working there."

Suigetsu stared at him like he was crazy.

"You work at one of the most famous clubs in L.A. and you say you don't _enjoy _working there? What's wrong with you, man?"

Sasuke glared at him again.

"That's none of your concern!"

"Can't we at LEAST watch you work?"

"NO."

Suigetsu began whining again, and Naruto – eyes wide – dully entertained ideas of _what _exactly Sasuke would be doing at a _club _with such a suggestive name.

"Awe – c'mon!" The silver-head pleaded.

A waitress headed their way.

"Sasuke."

He turned to her. She cocked her head at him.

"The food's ready for thirteen."

Sasuke nodded.

"Cool – thanks Karin."

She turned and swiftly left to her side of the restaurant. Without another word to Suigetsu, Sasuke left back into the kitchens, leaving the silver-headed waiter desperately hanging.

When Sasuke returned, he was carrying a tray with one plate and a basket of fries, walking over to Naruto with the tray well over his head, his left hand's fingers spread wide to support it. Upon reaching the blonde, he leaned over, setting the plate and basket down in front of Naruto. The same waitress that had informed him about the food came over. The Uchiha looked up at her as she took the tray from his hands.

"It's your break now. You've got thirty minutes."

Sasuke took a deep breath and interlaced his fingers, looking up to the heavens as if saying thank you. He turned back to the girl.

"Thanks Karin."

_Note to self: Someway, somehow, __**GET HER A BIRTHDAY PRESENT**__! _

She nodded and left.

Naruto brightened at this – it was the raven's lunch break! Before Sasuke could leave, he tugged on the Uchiha's cotton long-sleeve shirt.

Immediately, Sasuke whirled and jerked his arm away, glaring down at the blonde. Realizing that Naruto was still a customer, he forced himself to calm down, staring at the blonde, who had a hurt expression on his face.

"_Yes?_"

Naruto shrank back from the dangerous voice, immediately forgetting the pain he had felt when Sasuke had jerked away. Narrowing his eyes, he looked away to the table.

"Well, _bastard_," he hissed. "I just wanted to ask if you wanted to share the chili cheese fries."

Sasuke blinked. _WHAT?_

"What… did you say?" He asked quietly. Naruto glared at him.

"Are you deaf?" He demanded. "I asked you if you wanted some of my fries! I can't eat all of this myself!"

Aware that his part of the restaurant had suddenly got extremely quiet, Sasuke glanced around nervously (probably for his boss) before sliding into the booth opposite Naruto. The blonde – grinning in victory – pushed the fries to Sasuke.

Together, they ate the fries, Sasuke refusing to look into Naruto's face as he delicately ate one fry at a time, careful to avoid getting any chili on his uniform. The blonde sighed wistfully, working on his lobster tails. If the Uchiha wasn't doing this just because he was hungry – and the fact that he worked at the restaurant Naruto just _happened _to be at – this interaction between them could've been considered a date.

Naruto sighed again – he was doing a lot of that lately.

Then it sank in, and the movement of the silverware stopped in mid-motion.

Wait… _DATE?!_

Hs eyes snapped open, and he raised his head to look up at Sasuke, who was staring out the window with a third of the fries gone, looking like he wasn't going to eat anymore. Naruto couldn't blame him though – the basket had been _huge_!

The blonde remembered his thoughts from when he had first lay eyes on the Uchiha in the restaurant as he gazed at the raven.

He hadn't been deceiving himself – Sasuke _was _beautiful.

Dark bangs tickled the Uchiha's cheeks; those large black eyes sparkled in what would be a seductive stare (had he been looking at a person) but to the window they were glazed in absentminded thought. Naruto wondered if he was wearing contacts – he probably _was _– and that made a sudden, unexpected difference. Behind the lenses, those dark obsidian orbs had seemed small and unattractive, but _NOW_…

Sasuke – who had known Naruto was staring for a few moments – became annoyed and turned to the other.

"Do you want something?" He asked sharply. Naruto blinked and then grinned.

"You should wear contacts more often," he told the Uchiha. "You look gorgeous without those glasses!"

Sasuke flushed. Naruto thought it was cute.

"Asshole!" He hissed, the blush still coloring his cheeks. "Why do you keep saying stupid stuff like that?"

Naruto blinked at him, totally uncaring.

"What? I'm gay – I'm totally okay with saying a guy looks cute or gorgeous. Why – are _you_ actually straight?" He grinned, showing he was kidding. Sasuke – who had put his hands in his lap in an embarrassed, uncertain gesture – fought in vain against his blush and looked away to the window again. A strange, uncanny fluttering had appeared in his stomach that – dare he think it – resembled hope.

No, it couldn't have been hope, because it wasn't. It was shock. It had to be.

Why would he have hope after Naruto revealed that he was gay?

_Tsk. It's just shock – someone as handsome as Naruto, you'd bet your life that he was straight, so finding out he's gay would be VERY shocking. _

That had to be it.

But he knew what shock was, and this wasn't it. It was different.

And wait, did he just call Naruto handsome?

Sasuke wondered if he had enough energy to hit himself.

_Ugh. All this work must be getting to me. _

"Of course not," he muttered in response to Naruto's playful question. "Why do you think people make fun of me so much? The notion of someone being gay is something completely foreign in this part of L.A. – all the families that send children to that school are completely anti-homosexual, and their hatred rubs off on their children. THAT'S why the assholes at the school DO what they do."

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Well, if people are so against it here, why did you tell?"

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably and looked away again.

"I didn't make it public," he muttered quietly. "I used to have this very close friend in junior high – we were always together. That person was the only one that looked past all the rumors about my family after the…" he swallowed "…_accident,_ and tried to be my friend."

"He or she?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shot him a look.

There was silence for a moment.

"She," he finally replied, continuing on. "During junior high, she was always there for me. I knew she had had a crush on me, but she had enough courage to look past that and be the friend I needed, and I respected her so much for it. But during seventh grade – I had been sitting on this idea since sixth, seeing as how I never even _looked _at girls – I confided in her that I might have been gay. Because she had been so kind and understanding before – even if she had a crush – I thought she would look past that and take it in stride."

Naruto could see by the slowly sinking tone in Sasuke's voice where this was going.

"But apparently, she didn't," he filled in for her. Sasuke took a deep breath as a small portion of his mind wondered why he was letting this blonde in – he had never told anyone this story before – not even Suigetsu or Karin or Kankuro.

_Dammit this is so fucking strange – _

"You got it," he heard himself say, all the while telling himself to stop letting Naruto fucking _IN_. "She completely freaked. The next day, the entire school knew about it, and thus began my complete and utter rejection by society. She never talked to me again – instead nowadays, she takes great pleasure in tearing me apart, little by little."

It was just then he realized that he had just bitterly admitted that all the pain for the past nine years had actually affected him, and he cursed himself.

Naruto looked at him with furrowed eyes.

"I know how you feel. In Atlanta, when I told my friends that I was gay, they freaked too. But…" his eyes narrowed in sympathy. "They didn't turn their backs on me. It took them a while to get used to it, but they were there for me. However, some…" his eyes narrowed and his aura darkened "…_less-understanding _people had overheard, and they instantly spread hideous rumors about me. This was in the beginning of my first year of high school, and the next two and a half years had been absolute hell. That's why we moved in the first place – the teasing and hell-raising was just too much."

Sasuke snorted derisively.

_So the coward was just running away. _

"Well, you surely picked the wrongest place to go to," he muttered bitterly. "As soon as you – and if you do – let loose that you're gay, you'll be crushed underneath the hatred like a bug. A _sensitive_ guy like you wouldn't be able to take the strain."

His last sentence was scathing – mocking – as if daring Naruto to reveal the secret. Though he hated the hell the school populace put him through with a passion, there was a significant amount of pride in his situation. He was able to take that pressure – that hatred – and live by himself, keep himself alive, work two jobs, and STILL manage to get straight 'A's without breaking down and feeling pathetic and sorry for himself. He knew Naruto would NEVER be able to do that, and he relished in that fact.

Naruto easily dismissed the sarcasm, and smiled.

"Awe – Sasuke. You're _worried _about me?"

The Uchiha stared at him incredulously.

"You can't be serious," he deadpanned. Then his blank stare descended into a glare. "You little fucking _idiot_ – what makes you think I _CARE _for you? You're at school one day and you already have your own _FAN CLUB! _What the fuck, Naruto?"

Naruto blinked at him.

"Sasuke… are you jealous?"

The Uchiha bristled angrily, nearly spiting at the blonde.

"Why the hell would I be _jealous _of you? The only reason you HAVE a fan club is because all those girls think you're straight! The second you reveal your sexuality, they'll do to you _exactly _what they do to me!"

_I don't want you to be gay!_

That thought flashed across his mind, and he fought against starting in shock.

Why had he thought that?

Naruto gave him an even gaze.

"Yes. But I won't be alone when they do," he stated simply. Sasuke blinked at him in confusion.

"What? What on earth do you mean?" He asked. Naruto smiled warmly.

"I won't be alone when they start making fun of me, because I'll have you by my side all that while, right?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he could only stare at the other for a moment, merely gazing at Naruto in shock.

"What…? What do you mean?" He barely managed to ask, the other's words echoing in his head. Naruto gazed at him warmly, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Do I speak French? I said I want you by my side when I reveal I'm gay, because I know that – bastard though you are – you're a really good person at heart. There's no one else I'd want to share that misery with."

Naruto might have told Sasuke he wanted to have the Uchiha's babies the way Sasuke only stared at him, shock flooding his system.

_He thinks… I'm a good person?_

No one had ever told him that before – not even when his friend in junior high was always by his side. She had _never _told him that.

Sasuke wondered how she could've gotten around that all those months.

_She was never there for me after all. _

Naruto could only grin brightly at him – as if he had been talking about the weather that entire time.

"Well?" He asked expectantly.

Before Sasuke could stutter out an incoherent response, Suigetsu came to the table.

"Sasuke, your lunch break's up," he stated. The Uchiha jumped as if he had been tazered, and he leaped out of the booth, nervously smoothing down his clothes.

"Thanks, Suigetsu," he murmured before bolting, a blush covering his features. The silver-head and Naruto blinked, and then looked at each other. Before Suigetsu could ask, Naruto beat him to it.

"So… do you think I could get the check?" He asked, giving the elder boy a sheepish grin as he handed over a credit card. Blinking in confusion, Suigetsu nodded and smiled at him before turning to leave to the hallway that joined the kitchen and restaurant.

He saw Sasuke leaning against the wall; hand over his heart as he ran a hand over his face, gasping.

Suigetsu – blinking – walked over to him, careful not to get too close.

"Sasuke?" He asked.

The Uchiha frantically shook his head, running his fingers through his bangs. Slowly, he took a deep breath, steadied himself, and raised his head to look up at the other.

His eyes were blank.

"Yeah?" His voice was carefully neutral, daring Suigetsu to say anything.

The other didn't.

"Table thirteen would like their check," he crisply informed the Uchiha, handing the other the golden card before whirling to walk back into the restaurant.

Sasuke blinked, trying to recall where table thirteen was.

Blonde hair flashed through his mind, and he was reminded of the boy, fighting down a moan of inner pain.

Sighing, he walked over to the computer to ring up Naruto's bill, gloomy and irritated as he stared down at the shiny gold.

_Tsk. Are you serious? That idiot blonde has a fucking __**CREDIT CARD**__?_

_Life is __**so**__ unfair. _

Inwardly sneering, he ruthlessly punished the poor undeserving buttons as he punched in the order, and what the blonde said flashed through his mind again.

"_I want you by my side."_

His fingers stopped. They stopped and he merely looked at the screen, a strange, deep peace settling within him.

_I think I've…_

He closed his eyes.

_**I've become comfortably numb.**_

_Nothing can hurt me now. _

He hoped.

It was a strange feeling – being numb.

He enjoyed it.

_Why can't this happen more often?_

Opening his eyes again, he scanned the credit card into the computer and printed two receipts.

Placing the thin strips of paper into the small black folder bearing the restaurant's logo, he closed it and walked back into the restaurant, trying to act professional.

Naruto was gazing out the window, a thoughtful expression on his face that made him actually seem somewhat intelligent.

Sasuke smirked as that insult ran through his mind, allowing him to return to a semi-state of familiarity. Face blank, he walked over to the booth, setting the folder on the table at Naruto's elbow. The movement made the blonde turn to him.

"Thank you for your patronage – have a good night," the Uchiha stated crisply before Naruto could breathe a word, whirling to vanish in the employee-only section of the restaurant. Blinking, the blonde opened the folder to see the receipt that needed his signature and – as he gazed at it – he realized something.

There was no sales tax.

Naruto smiled.

-- -- -- -- --

Suigetsu opened the door to the lounge to see Sasuke nearly asleep on the couch, face up with hair out of the ponytail and one foot on the ground with the other knee bent over the back of the couch. Grinning, the silver-head walked over to the Uchiha, looking down so he was eye-level with the younger, but upside down.

As soon as Suigetsu appeared, Sasuke opened his eyes to gaze blankly at the other.

"Yes?" The Uchiha deadpanned. Suigetsu grinned.

"You know, you look so suggestive like that," he told the other, wiggling his eyebrows.

A hand met his hair and yanked, sending him crashing to the floor as he lost his balance. Sasuke turned so he was lying on his side, his legs tightly closed as his arm made a pillow for his head.

"Shut up Suigetsu," the Uchiha muttered bitterly. "My next job is in two hours, and I _just _got off this one. Let me sleep, dammit."

"For how long?" Suigetsu asked, standing up. Sasuke didn't open his eyes.

"An hour. I have homework to do."

The silver-head's eyes narrowed in concern for the other. All work, homework, and no play _couldn't _be good for the raven.

He sighed.

"You got it, Sasuke."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Do you need a ride, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha looked up to see Karin at the door, keys in hand. He began to pack his bag with the papers and pencils he had gotten out, draining the coffee Suigetsu had brought him from the kitchens.

"That would be wonderful, Karin," he told her as he worked. "Thank you so much."

Karin nodded and smiled as Sasuke stood, pulling the strap over his shoulder and walking over to her.

"C'mon then," she replied, turning to exit the restaurant. Sasuke followed.

"Why are you still here?" He asked as they exited the doors. "Your shift ended over three hours ago, didn't it?"

"I had homework to do," she replied as they walked down the street to her car, the sun already set and the moon well into the sky. "Besides, I didn't want to go home just then."

She grinned at the Uchiha, raising her keys to press a button, making the silver BMW Z4 beep and Sasuke's jealousy boil.

"Get in."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Glad to see you here on time, Sasuke," the boss stated as the Uchiha walked into the club, still in his work uniform from _Shark Tails_. Sasuke forced a smile.

"One of my friends drove me," he stated.

_But is Karin really a FRIEND?_

The other looked down at his clipboard.

"Well hurry and get changed. Your shift starts in ten minutes."

"Yessir." Sighing at his sore feet, Sasuke moved to the changing rooms.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

Naruto pulled up to the club in his red Pontiac Solstice, flashing the headlights once before pulling up the convertible hood and shutting off the engine, stepping out and locking the door behind him. He walked up to the line and caught a spot.

When he arrived at the door, the bouncer stared down at him.

"I.D. please," he stated gruffly. Smiling, Naruto obeyed. The bouncer raised an eyebrow from behind his dark sunglasses before handing the card back almost roughly.

"You're a minor, kid," he stated. "Get out."

Naruto grinned.

"Who said I was a minor?" He asked sweetly, taking two bills out of his back pocket and slipping them to the bouncer. "YOU'RE not going to just assume that, are you?"

The bouncer took a glance down at the two bills and jumped. Naruto smiled slyly – an expression that seemed completely unlike him.

"Whaddya say you let me in?" He breathed.

The bouncer now held two hundred dollars in his hands.

Standing stiffly, he stepped aside.

"Welcome to _Bondage_, sir," he stated simply, allowing Naruto to step into the crowded club.

It was dark – with dark pink, purple, and blue lights flashing and moving along the floor as the people inside pressed against each other. Small tables lined the edges, and the bar was huge, taking up a fourth of the club's area and stretching from end to end. Some powerful, bass-filled beat was pounding through the speakers, and Naruto could feel it starting to affect his systems.

Catching the nearest waitress by the arm, he leaned close to speak to her.

"Does Sasuke Uchiha work here?"

She didn't blink.

"Check the bar," she stated, moving along with her tray of martinis.

Blinking in confusion –

"She's not going to tell me 'check the stage – he's busy stripping'?"

– he moved through the crowd before he finally reached the bar.

Looking around, he saw who he was looking for.

Bottles and alcohol flew literally flew through the air as Sasuke worked, pouring glass after glass in a systematic, complex manner as he made bottles whirl in the air and liquid splash, much to the joy of the customers who sat in front of him.

Naruto settled down in an empty seat to watch.

A light was in Sasuke's eyes – which were still uncovered by glasses – that wasn't in the school and that wasn't there at the restaurant as he made the drinks, pulling out bottle after bottle and professionally mixing them.

"So he's a bartender…" Naruto muttered to himself as he watched the play of the lights on the alcohol.

For some reason, he was disappointed. The blonde laughed at himself.

"Damn. I was looking forward to watching him strip to Marilyn Monroe," he muttered good-naturedly to himself, laughing.

Finally, Sasuke took slices of fruit and expertly cut them halfway, sliding them onto the rim of the glasses and handing them over to their respective customers, who gladly paid and slipped him a generous tip for the show.

With a grin on his face, the Uchiha ran his hands through his bangs, pocketing half of the tips before ringing up the bills for the previous drinks and putting the money in the register, sticking the remaining tip money into a jar next to him, well out of the way of wandering hands from the other side of the bar.

Naruto licked his suddenly dry lips before calling.

"Sasuke!"

The other blinked and turned his head to see the shocking mop of hair in the mists of dark colors and subtle clothes.

The Uchiha's jaw dropped, and he immediately made his way over to lean over to speak to the blonde, setting his hands on the counter behind the bar.

"What're you doing here, you fucking _stalker_?" Sasuke spat nervously. "How the hell did you get past the bouncer? You're a minor – you're not supposed to be here!"

"You're a minor too, but you're working here," Naruto pointed out. Someone shouted out an order and Sasuke shouted an affirmative back before turning back to Naruto. The blonde grinned. "As a bartender, no less."

"I'm the best server this bar has," the Uchiha informed him stiffly, leaning down to grab the shot glasses for a triple shot of Southern Comfort, pouring precisely the same amount in each glass on the first try.

"So I see," Naruto commented, watching with interest. His hand trailed to one of the glasses. "Can I try some –?"

A hand deftly – and painfully, Naruto was quick to add – sharply slapped his hand away.

"No. You're a minor. I don't serve minors," Sasuke replied simply, holding the shots in one hand before walking over to the man that had yelled before, handing him the glasses before returning the Naruto. "Now get out – before I call security."

"_Hey Uchiha!"_ A walkie-talkie at Sasuke's hip crackled as the other bartender called from the other end of the bar, unable to be heard over the pounding music even if he had yelled. _"I need some more vodka over here!"_

Sasuke twisted the microphone to his mouth, and Naruto saw with slight amusement that there was a black line from the Uchiha's ear to the walkie-talkie at his hip. The raven had a head piece along with the walkie-talkie. Fancy.

"Okay, Inuzuka," Sasuke told the mike before kneeling down and opening the cabinet underneath the sink, pulling out three large bottles of Blue Skyy and heading over to the other side of the bar. Naruto saw the Uchiha hand the bottles to another bartender with messy brown hair before he returned to his side of the bar. Naruto studied the other intently, letting the Uchiha work on three more alcoholic drinks – all the blonde vaguely recognized as the infamous rum and Coke.

A black button-up long-sleeve-shirt met Naruto's gaze as he surveyed the raven, the top three buttons loose to reveal a pale, smooth chest. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbow, and a small apron was tied around slender hips, protecting the Uchiha's thighs from any spills. Naruto couldn't see anymore, but as he lazily watched Sasuke's hands move – forming two shots of Cosmo this time to join the three mixed drinks – his earlier thoughts of Sasuke's beauty was only assured. Without those accursed glasses, the Uchiha's eyes were dazzling.

"How are you able to work here?" Naruto asked as he watched Sasuke slide the shots over to the nearest corner of the bar without spilling a drop, then proceeding to hand the spiked Cokes to three girls a few seats down from Naruto. The Uchiha glared at him.

"I'm able to work here because my family used to _own _this club."

Naruto's eyes bulged.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" He exclaimed loudly, drawing stares from those closest to him. "THEY USED TO _OWN _THIS PLACE?"

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, and busied himself with washing martini glasses in the sink.

"Shut up, you idiot," he snapped bitterly. Naruto – at the tone – became serious once more.

"So if your family used to own this place, shouldn't you be rich now?" He asked. "Why are you working so hard if you have all that cash?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"That's because I _DON'T_," he hissed. "I _DON'T _have all that money. When my parents died, all the money went to my older brother – Itachi. But Itachi fled to the other side of the country the day they died, taking all that money with him. I can't get a cent of it until he dies, and he refuses to accept me as his younger sibling and thus his charge. To put it simply, he disowned me as his younger brother, and so now he doesn't have to help me at all."

Naruto hissed.

"Damn!" He spat. "I hate him already!"

Sasuke sighed, drying his hands in a towel.

"Join the club – we've got jackets." With that story, Sasuke seemed to deflate, and he sighed again, throwing the towel down. Naruto – for a moment – thought the Uchiha looked old underneath the soft ceiling lights of the bar. Sasuke took a glance at the clock.

It read almost one o'clock.

He leaned over the bar to speak quietly to the blonde.

"Look Naruto, it's late. You should be at home, in bed. You have class tomorrow."

"_You_ have class tomorrow too," the blonde replied – almost sharply. "But you're going to be _here _until at least four in the morning!"

The Uchiha bristled.

"I can run on four hours of sleep!" He hissed. "Now go home! If someone realizes I knew there was a minor here, and I didn't kick them out, I could get fired! Now hurry up and get out!"

Naruto winced at the tone, but he told himself that Sasuke meant well – that he was worried about not just himself, but him as well.

Slowly, the blonde turned to the club.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" He asked quietly. Sasuke blinked before forcing a small, strained smile.

"Yeah. Sure. Now go home, Naruto."

Sighing – wishing so badly that he would be able to help the Uchiha but knowing it was futile – the blonde slid off the stool and left.

Sasuke watched him leave, a heavy ache settling in his chest.

_No – don't give in now you've come so far – _

"_Start moving, Uchiha,"_ Kiba breathed in his ear. _"You still have customers." _

Sasuke took a deep breath and nodded, raising a hand to grip the mike.

"You got it, Inuzuka," the Uchiha breathed. "I'm on it."

Sighing – tired and strangely hopeless all of the sudden – Sasuke continued working.

_I wish there was a way out. _

-- -- -- -- -- --

It was four-thirty when Sasuke stepped inside his apartment, tired and wishing nothing more than to collapse onto his bed and sleep.

He made it to the couch.

Sinking into the soft, well-worn cushions, he curled up and closed his eyes, knowing that his alarm clock – even if it was in the bedroom – would be loud enough to wake him up.

His breathing slowed, and his body relaxed, a mop of blonde hair flashing through his mind's eye.

_Yes._

_**I've become comfortably numb.**_

**End Line Three: I've Become Comfortably Numb**

**Ah… this story is amazing and long. Which is why there's so much space between updates. :) Yep yep. XD**

**Don't you adore Sasuke in this story? I do. And Naruto's cute too. :D**

**And one of my very, very, VERY good friends is coming up to visit me Saturday, so I'm quivering with excitement for her! She'll be my first friend to visit me since I moved away, and I'm SO FUCKING EXCITED. :D :D :D **

**Thanks for reading you guys, and please nominate me and my stories if you think I and they deserve to be nominated!**

**And review, if that strikes your fancy. **

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	4. Line Four: Until You Opened Up My Eyes

**Hello, Ladies and gentlemen. Hello, hello, hello. **

**How are you guys? Good? Good. That's good. :3**

**So, yeah. Life. And Life. And Gaia. And Life again. And double-life. And… yeah, SO not about to explain everything, lol.**

**But yeah, sorry you always have to wait so long. Thank you so much for keeping tabs on my stories, even though you know that I probably won't update for a very, VERY long time.**

**But I do try. I'm sorry. **

**I hope life for all of you is impeccable. :)**

**You Found Me**

**Line Four: Until You Opened Up My Eyes**

The alarm clock rang.

It was dull and muffled – coming from the bedroom – but he heard it.

Groaning, he shifted, trying to roll over.

He forgot he was on the couch.

Eyes still closed, he fell off the couch.

When he hit the hard wooden floor, he didn't make a sound.

Fighting back another groan, he rolled over on his back and opened his eyes, staring at the blank, white ceiling.

"Please tell me this is Saturday, and not Wednesday," he deadpanned to the empty apartment, still in eagle position.

No one answered him.

_Awe, fuck. _

Grunting, he managed to stand up, leaning heavily on the couch as his body groaned and creaked in protest.

Grumbling to himself and feeling a little bit like an old man, he made his way to his bedroom, glaring heatedly at the alarm clock from the doorframe as it rang on his bed.

"How did you manage to survive?" He hissed at it, remembering the crunch of machinery he had heard when he had thrown the device against the wall the previous morning, walking over to his bed to pick up the ever-resilient machine and click it off.

The clock didn't answer. Sighing, he set it on the desk and stripped himself of his work clothes, changing for school.

Grabbing his skateboard, he walked out the door and locked it, not even bothering to grab a granola bar – he hadn't even eaten the one he had gotten the day before.

Arriving at the sidewalk, he got on the board and pushed off, his bag bouncing at his side with the movement.

_Three more days. _He told himself. _Three more days – eighteen more class periods. And then weekend. Beautiful, blissful weekend – you can do this! _

As he traded journals, binders, and folders with his locker, someone smashed into his shoulder hard, almost making him fall as he grunted in surprise. Before he could turn to see who it was after he regained his footing, a voice breathed threateningly into his ear.

"Stay away from Naruto."

His eyes widened, and he spun to see the person had vanished into the crowd of students.

His lips turned down in a scowl as his eyebrows furrowed.

_How did I know this would happen?_

He suddenly felt a rebellious urge to go _seek _out Naruto – to hang on his arm all day and to rub the fact that he could get so close to the blonde all over Sakura's face – he knew that whoever had warned him had been told to by the girl.

After all, that bull-headed bitch's pink hair had a knack for standing out. Telling him herself would've been a bad idea. Didn't want to ruin her, '_good-girl'_, look to the rest of the student body, you know.

Blinking in thought, he turned back to his locker, holding the door to his locker as if he were about to swing it shut.

He didn't see Naruto until fourth period.

That rebellious urge welled up in his stomach again, but he crushed it. He refused to use Naruto as a tool for his own gain. He knew that in doing so, he only sealed his OWN demise.

Sighing, he raised his left hand, absentmindedly fingering the socket where his right shoulder met torso and remembering the last time he had been rebellious – in junior high. Those medical bills had been a pain to pay off.

He had no wish to end up in that white-walled prison again.

Closing his eyes, he shut his locker, heading for his first class.

------------------------- --------------------- ----------------------- -------------------

Pre-calculus and Biochemistry had passed without hindrance, and Sasuke was eternally grateful for that.

He was in the library now during break between second and third, wandering among the fantasy and science fiction isles as he searched for an appropriate book for his English class.

The place was relatively empty, and Sasuke prayed he wouldn't run into Naruto. But knowing the idiot, he wouldn't dare set foot into a place that required people to keep their mouths shut. He wouldn't last two seconds in the place.

Sasuke smiled softly as he thought that, his fingers wandering across the spines of books – some old, some new – on a shelf six inches above eye level as he leisurely read the titles, enjoying the quiet.

The dull thump of a book falling to the ground near him met his ears, and he looked down to see a well-worn book on the floor next to him, back cover up.

Blinking, he kneeled down to pick it up, but as the very tips of his fingers touched the worn cover of the book, petite fingertips landed gently on top his knuckles, soft and smooth against his skin.

Eyebrows furrowing in confusion and curiosity both, Sasuke raised his eyes to lock them with wide silver ones.

The Uchiha blinked, recognizing those eyes.

_What the…?_

The owner of the eyes blushed, hastily pulling her hand away.

"I'm s-s-sorry," she stuttered, her voice soft and gentle as she bowed her head. Sasuke surveyed her, head cocked in an unthreatening gesture as he took in her short indigo hair and small frame. "I d-d-didn't mean to d-d-drop it."

_Awe, she has a stuttering problem. _Sasuke thought, seeing the other beside him as a small child. He smiled inwardly. _Cute. _

"That's all right," he told her quietly – both to reassure her and to keep the librarian from storming up to them. That woman had the ears of a wolf – with a ruthless side to match. He handed the girl the book, which she slowly took with trembling, delicate fingers and a murmured, stuttered 'thank you'. "I've never seen you before – are you new?"

The girl blushed with more ferocity, not meeting his gaze.

"Y-yes," she replied softly – so softly that Sasuke wouldn't be able to hear her if they weren't in a library. "I t-t-transferred just a f-few hours ago." She bowed her head in a gesture of respect. "I-I-I'm Hinata Hyuuga. N-N-Neji Hyuuga's cousin. P-p-pleased to meet you."

Sasuke – eyes sparkling – _she really is the cutest little girl – _smiled at her.

_I knew I recognized those eyes from somewhere._

"And I'm Sasuke Uchiha. Nice to meet you too. What grade are you in?"

She looked away at the bookshelf, the red never leaving her cheeks. Sasuke wondered if she ever spoke with men before.

_Though I can hardly count as a man in the eyes of the populace…_

"F-f-freshman," she replied quietly. The small, reassuring smile never left the Uchiha's face. Reaching out, he gently took her hand and stood, helping her up as she breathed soft thanks.

She only came to his shoulder.

Realizing the difference, she blushed even more as Sasuke gave her a smile.

"Well, it was very nice to meet you, Hinata. I'm a junior," he told her warmly. He turned to leave, waving over his shoulder. "I'll see you some other time. Good luck at the new school!"

Hugging the book to her chest, the girl watched him go with wide eyes before they narrowed and she looked away, blushing and tightening her grip on the book.

"It was n-n-nice to meet you t-too," she murmured to the empty isle. "Sasuke Uchiha."

------------------ ------------------- --------------------- ------------------ -----------

As Sasuke changed for Athletics, he was grabbed roughly by the back of his collar and whirled to be slammed into the lockers, one lock digging uncomfortably into his lower back as he winced.

_Ugh. Not again. _

Jirobo smiled at him, the sneering quality to it twisting the expression into something grotesque. Kidomaru and Sakon were at his sides, watching.

"How is our wittle fag-baby duwing today?" Jirobo asked in baby talk, making Sasuke fight against the urge to roll his eyes at how totally immature that sounded.

"Fine, thank you," he replied, keeping his voice blank. He shifted slightly beneath Jirobo's hold. "Mind letting me go?"

The grip tightened, and Sasuke bit back a grunt.

Jirobo snarled at him.

"I'll do what I want with you, faggot!" He hissed. Sakon shifted behind him.

"But to the matter at hand," he stated, drawing Sasuke's attention. The white-head's expression was carefully blank, and the Uchiha thought that he was the most sensible of the group. "It seems you're creating quite a stir with the attention the newcomer – oh what was his name again? – yes, _Naruto_," he stretched out the blonde's name, searching Sasuke's face for some sort of reaction when the Uchiha was only too delighted to give him none "is giving you. We've been told to warn you: Stay away from Naruto."

Sasuke had to grin. But with everything that was happening, it was more like a grimace of pain.

"Heh – yeah. I _bet _you were told to warn me – by _Sakura_, I'll bet. Her and her bloodthirsty bitch buddies – Kin and Ino. Tell me, what on _earth _do YOU three get out of this?"

Jirobo and Sakon could only blink dumbly for a moment – never in their knowing of Sasuke had the Uchiha called _anyone _a bitch – especially those three girls. This was a strange new occurrence.

And it made Sasuke feel wonderful.

_Heh. I should do this more often._

But he knew he couldn't.

He blamed his actions on the lack of sleep.

_I should REALLY find a way to make better money – or at least beg either Zabuza or Kakashi to give me a raise. _

Kidomaru, however, was distracted by something else. He laughed into his hand.

"Heheheh – 'bloodthirsty bitch buddies'… how is THAT for a tongue twister?"

_I don't think Zabuza would do it. _

Slowly, Sakon and Jirobo turned to stare at him, giving the remaining member identical looks of disbelief.

_Maybe Kakashi. He seems more lenient. _

"ANYWAY," Sakon began loudly, drawing the others' attention. Sasuke surveyed him.

_I'll ask him tomorrow. _

"Don't _tell _me you don't agree," the raven stated. "Making my life hell may be fun for you, but that doesn't mean you don't think those three bitches are annoying like hell."

_Thankfully, I don't have to work at __**Bondage **__today. _

They were shocked again – Sasuke had called those same girls bitches again – that was _twice_! In less than TWO MINUTES! Good God, what WAS the Uchiha smokin'?

Even Sasuke didn't know.

_Woot._

All he knew was that it made him feel _good_.

_Yay for more sleep!_

He also blamed his inner conversation with himself – one that had nothing to do with the conversation in real life – on lack of sleep as well.

_I REALLY need an energy drink._

But the Uchiha had been right, Jirobo had to agree.

_But I don't have any money. _

…

_DAMMIT!_

"Tsk. So what if Sakura told us?" Jirobo growled, tightening his grip. "It doesn't matter – stay away from Uzumaki! If you don't…" he leaned forward, never breaking eye contact. His hot breath – stinking of cigarettes this time – washed over the Uchiha, and he fought from coughing. "I guess we'll just have to _remind _you of what happens when you don't obey. Isn't that right…" his fingers drifted to Sasuke's right shoulder, and the Uchiha – in a split second of panic – thought Jirobo was going to dislocate it. (_Oh GOD not again –)_ The elder teen's breath tickled his skin. "_Faggot?_"

"Three minutes, gentlemen!" The coach called from his office. The three turned to the office before looking back at the Uchiha. Slowly, Jirobo released Sasuke's gym shirt.

"You've been warned," he hissed before the three turned away, heading to their own lockers. Biting his lip, Sasuke leaned back against the lockers and fought against sobbing in frustration, clenching his shoulder as if Jirobo had _truly _popped the bone out of place.

He could already feel the pain – could already see the stained white walls.

He began to shake.

_Is Naruto really worth all this?_

He didn't want to know just yet – attempting to wipe his mind blank, he headed for the gym.

------------- ----------------------- ------------ -------------- ------------- -----------

It was only when he walked into English did Sasuke remember that he hadn't found a book for that same class.

_Oh yeah. I remember why I didn't. That girl at the library…_

Her childish ways made him fight down a smile, and he walked over to his seat, ignoring Sakura and the other two's heated glares as he sat down, also refusing to catch Naruto's eye.

He was tired – Anko really knew how to work him so hard his brain literally stopped.

And he was grateful for it.

Leaning forward, he made a pillow with his arms on his desk, resting his head on them and closing his eyes. They still had twenty minutes after the bell rang before the teacher showed up.

Vaguely, Sasuke wondered why their teacher was always late.

_I wonder if he knows Kakashi…_

A few minutes passed, and a little clip of folded paper against wood met Sasuke's ears, making him blearily open his eyes to see a folded piece of paper by his nose, but made no move to pick it up.

He knew who it was from.

And he remembered.

His shoulder suddenly started to throb –

_Dammit NO!_

Not looking Naruto's way, he lazily raised a hand and unfolded it with that hand, reading the single line.

"_**I told you working until four was a bad idea."**_

Sasuke's chest suddenly began to ache, and he cursed himself for reading the note to begin with. Naruto was _worried _about him.

_**No. He's not worried about you. **_That other voice said. _**He's just saying that to rub it in your face – to make you feel inferior to his judgment. He doesn't care for you at all.**_

With that strengthening his resolve, he calmly folded up the paper and set it back down on the wood.

Closing his eyes, he flicked it off the desk onto the floor.

He let his hair fall into his face, shielding him from what he knew to be Naruto's shocked gaze as he buried his face in his arms, trying to find a comfortable resting place.

_It's for the best. _

At least that's what he kept telling himself.

_Dammit, you're always alone! You should've gotten rid of him right when he started trying – you should've crushed his hopes and forced him to run back to the crowd he belongs to with his tail in between his legs! But since you were weak, he's trailing behind you like some happy, delusional MUTT, and now he won't leave you alone!_

His fists clenched, but his face remained blank behind the dark shelter of his bangs.

_Dammit Naruto!_

Sasuke hoped the blonde would blame his actions on tiredness, and stop trying.

He eventually did – after four tossed notes that were left ignored where they landed as Sasuke tried to snooze.

The Uchiha was clenching his jaw so hard behind his hair he thought his teeth would crack.

_Don't look at him don't say a word – _

And finally Genma appeared.

Sasuke raised his head at the sound of the teacher's voice and started paying attention, holding his head up with the arm closest to Naruto, so that his face was shielded from the blonde's searching gaze.

_I just want this class to be over – _

But he still had two more classes to go.

Not to mention lunch.

_Awe, shit._

When the bell rang, he fled.

-------------------- ----------------- ---------------------- --------------- -------------

He didn't bother going to his tree. He knew the moment Naruto saw him amidst the multitude of students, the blonde would chase him down – dog he was.

_Thank God most of the kids here have dark hair!_

Sasuke bolted through the crowd, using his small size to duck and weave between the teens and burst outside, sprinting along the grass and ducking into the shadows of the trees outlining the large clearing.

He knew this place well.

Leaping over a small fallen log, he jogged through the trees until the clearing was out of sight, and the forest – or at least, he liked to think of it as a forest, far away from anyone or anything where he could be alone in blissful solitude – was silent.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he set his bag down and leaned against it, sliding down to the cool grass and closing his eyes. So far so good – Naruto hadn't called out to him, and as far as Sasuke knew, the blonde hadn't managed to follow.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at the leaves, remembering the multiple times the mockery and hateful punches had grown too much to bear, and he had run into the trees the first moment he could, taking shelter underneath their powerful branches, and curling up, nearly crying – nearly breaking down.

But of course he was an Uchiha. Dead family or not, he couldn't cry. They wouldn't have wanted him to.

_No, not dead family. _He thought vaguely, eyes half-closed and dull as he stared up. _Dead parents. _

_**No. It's a dead family and you know it. **_The voice hissed angrily. _**Itachi is gone – he abandoned you the day your parents died – he LEFT you to die!**_

Sasuke bit his lip, closing his eyes and scrunching up his face in an effort to fight down a hopeless, frustrated scream, but didn't move his head from where he had lifted it, baring his throat to the tree trunks as his shoulders began to gently shake.

A deep, heart-wrenching sore had formed in his chest, weighing so heavily on his heart that it threatened to crush it beneath the strain as a picture of his brother appeared in his mind.

_Itachi…_

--------------- ------------------ -------------------- ----------------------- -----------

"_Brother!" Little four-year-old Sasuke yelled, running after his elder of five years. "Big brother – wait!"_

_He did, and Sasuke collided with his back, wrapping his small arms around the elder one's hips. _

"_Brother!" The little one gasped as the elder looked down at him kindly. "Will you carry me?"_

_The other blinked down at him before smiling broadly. _

"_Sure!" _

_Placing his hands underneath Sasuke's armpits, he easily lifted up the child, shifting the boy so that he sat on his shoulders. The younger brother cooed with delight._

"_Wow!" He exclaimed, grinning. "Everything looks so small from up here!" _

_Itachi smiled in response, ignoring the slight pull Sasuke put on his hair as he held his little brother's calves to keep the younger from falling off. _

"_You'll become as tall as this one day, Sasuke," Itachi told him confidently. "Mother and Father are so proud of you." _

_Sasuke smiled down at his brother's scalp. _

"_They're really proud of you too, big brother!" He exclaimed happily. "You know that!" _

_Itachi smiled as they walked back to their home. _

"_Yes," he replied softly. "They're proud of us both." His features darkened. "Or – at least – Mother is." _

_Sasuke's eyes opened, and he solemnly looked down at his brother's head._

"_Brother?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Why does Father hate me so much?"_

_Itachi paused in his step for a moment, but continued on. _

"_I'm sure he doesn't hate you, Sasuke," he stated after a moment of thoughtful silence. "I'm sure there's a reason that he does what he does – I'm sure it's just out of love."_

_Sasuke buried his face into his brother's hair and breathed in the smell of his shampoo. _

"_I hear them fighting sometimes – Mother and Father," he began quietly. "Mother says Father doesn't do it because he loves me – and that he should stop. Sometimes, she says he doesn't love me at all."_

_This time, Itachi did pause, simply staring ahead for a moment. Then, he gripped Sasuke's waist and hauled him off his shoulders, setting him down decisively in front of him. The littler one merely blinked up at the elder as Itachi kneeled, locking eyes with his younger brother. _

"_Even if that IS true, Sasuke," he began, his voice full of more love than Sasuke had ever heard before – his voice was nearly shaking with the ferocity of it. "I promise to protect you! No child deserves to be hurt like this, and Mother tells us that we both deserve the same! If Father doesn't hurt me, why should he hurt you? So I promise – I'll do my best to protect you!" _

_Sasuke blinked up in awe at his elder brother, and his eyes narrowed as tears sprung up in his eyes. _

"_BROTHER!" _

_He launched himself into Itachi's arms, and his brother wrapped his arms around him, burying his nose into Sasuke's unruly hair and closing his eyes. _

"_I promise, Sasuke."_

_Then the scene changed. _

_With a cry, the small seven-year-old child flew through the air, landing with a crash against the bookcase. If the shelves hadn't been made of solid wood, the structure would've collapsed on the child. But they were sturdy, and they held firm. _

_Tears in his eyes, Sasuke raised his head to look at his father, who towered over him. _

"_I'm sorry, Father!" He sobbed. "I didn't mean to break any rules – I swear!" _

"_I thought I told you NEVER to talk to those children!" His father snarled in response, looking absolutely livid. _

"_But they just wanted their ball back!" Sasuke exclaimed, fearfully forcing his voice to work. "Itachi saw – their ball just got into our yard and they wanted it back! So I tossed it over! That's all! That's really all!"_

_His father whirled to the boy's elder brother. _

"_ITACHI!" He roared behind him. The boy was hurting so much – he couldn't raise his head to see where Itachi was. "DID YOU SEE ANYTHING?"_

_There was silence for a moment. _

_Then Itachi's, calm, collected voice – as if he didn't even CARE for the situation – was heard._

"_I saw nothing," he stated. _

_But he had been there._

_The child's father whirled to face him again, and the boy shook with fear on the floor. _

"_Please Father –!"_

"_Little LIAR!" His father roared, leaning down to easily pluck the young one from the ground by the collar, raising him high above his head. _

_The child began to cry, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw his brother and his mother standing in the hallway, the latter looking fearful while the former had a blank, impassive face. _

"_Brother!" Sasuke cried raggedly right before his father launched him across the room. "BROTHER!" _

_But Itachi held back – like he always had. The promise the elder had made three years ago lie trampled on and forgotten in the dust as he watched his father in his drunken stupor. _

"_Fugaku – stop this!" His mother exclaimed. "He's just a child – you're going to kill him!"_

"_STAY OUT OF THIS, MIKOTO!" The man roared. "Or __YOU'LL__ be next!" _

"_It'll be better than watching you mutilate my son!" She bellowed back, trying to go forward. _

_Itachi stopped her, whispering something in her ear. She gazed at him in shock, frozen in place. It looked like she was about to slap him clear across the face when Fugaku – apparently through with tormenting Sasuke for the time being – threw him at his mother. _

_Sobbing, he grabbed her waist, pressing himself into the folds of her dress as she wrapped her arms around him._

"_My poor babe…" she cooed in his hair, beginning to sob with him. "Oh baby, if I could take you away, I would – make no mistake. If I could…"_

_Everything was in Fugaku's name. If she left, she'd be left with nothing except a second mouth to feed._

_She couldn't. _

_She could only hold him tight. _

"_Make sure to OBEY me next time, boy!" Her husband roared before storming off. _

_Cradling Sasuke to her breast, she lifted him up, setting his weight on her hip as he cried into her chest, clinging for dear life. Mikoto shot her eldest son an angry look. _

"_Go to your room," she told him. Without another word, he obeyed, and Sasuke raised his face from his mother's chest to watch him leave. _

_**Big brother…**_

-------------------- ------------------ --------------- ---------------- ------------------

Sasuke was only aware he had begun to cry when salt water moistened his lips and wet his tongue.

His eyes snapped open, and he shook himself to rid his mind of the memory, shaking his head vigorously.

_There's no use THINKING about that anymore!_

But it was already too late.

The ache had appeared in his chest – pulsing and sucking all control out of his body – and it wasn't going anywhere.

Sighing, he drew his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and setting his chin on his knees, eyes half-closed and eyebrows furrowed in sadness as the tears dripped down his face to fall onto his uniform.

He sat there for a few moments before releasing his legs as a sudden thought occurred to him, leaning back against the tree and slipping a hand inside one of the pockets of his bag, rummaging inside.

He pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. Closer inspection saw it was a picture.

Carefully – as if afraid he would tear it – he unfolded it, looking at what it held.

He looked at his most treasured possession in the world.

_Or – at least one of them. The other is at the apartment. _

He had never called that place 'home'.

The picture had been taken over ten years ago – back when he had been only five. Back then, everything had been happy, and the beatings had been less severe, and they had come less and less frequently.

He was sitting on his mother's lap in their backyard during the spring – when the flowers had been bursting in bloom and the sun always seemed to be shining. His mother had been sitting on the stone bench in the middle of the rose garden, and the blooms had been well taken care of that year – seeing as how the flowers were bursting in brilliant colors of red and pink and yellow and white behind them in the background.

Mikoto had been wearing her prettiest summer dress – a bright blue one with lace on the sloped neckline and embroidered sunflowers reaching to her knees that were so well done they seemed to be real at first glance. Her eyes twinkled in happiness and her dark cocoa brown hair flowed down her shoulders in endless, curling waves, accentuating her bright green eyes. Her mouth was pulled wide in a smile, and her arms tenderly held her littlest son, who had been jostled by his elder brother the moment before the picture was taken.

Sitting next to his mother on the bench was his brother – his arms were around little Sasuke's tiny waist, holding him lovingly to a ten-year-old chest. Itachi and his mouths' were wide open in bright smiles identical to their mother's, their black eyes twinkling identically in mirth as Sasuke leaned back, his arms in the air due to surprise. It was only the time in between Itachi's grab and the time the picture was taken that kept him looking at the camera. Behind the three leaned their father, whose hands were on Mikoto's left shoulder and Itachi's right, pressing them closer to him and each other as his lips hinted at a small smile while he looked at the camera from above their heads.

The sun had been right above them, making shadows minimum and causing each face to be bright and happy.

Sasuke was sure that that had been the best day of his life.

After the picture had been taken, it had only spiraled downhill into disaster.

Looking at the picture – that frozen time, as if no time had passed at all – brought nostalgia and tears to his eyes again, and he fought from letting more tears leak out, rubbing his eyes furiously from behind the glasses to keep them at bay.

For not the first time, he wished nothing had changed.

_God I want you back so badly –_

But he knew his parents couldn't do it. Not even his mother – who he knew would've gone to hell and back to make him smile, even if it was for a moment – could make such a feat possible.

He could only hope she was up there, safe and sound.

_Good God I can't TAKE this anymore –_

Thinking no one was there watching him – _knowing _no one was there watching him – he allowed himself to press his face into his knees and cry, the folded picture clenched tightly in his fist with his glasses in his lap, sandwiched between his lower stomach and upper thighs.

He felt that same despair that had plagued him eternally those first few years, and sobbed harder, fighting to be silent as his shoulders began to shake.

_Please GOD someone help – _

Then it began to rain.

Thunder crashed violently overhead, and Sasuke's inner turmoil was mirrored in the heavens as lightning and thunder battled, the former flashing constantly and brightly while the latter slammed and rolled, echoing along the clouds and making the very earth seem to shake.

Defeated, Sasuke raised his head from the cradle of his knees, tears mingling with rain as he looked up into the leaves, watching them become illuminated by the lightning.

Dully, he wondered if the bell had ringed.

He found himself not really caring as he stared upwards, drops of rainwater falling off the leaves above him and landing in the corners of his eyes, mixing with his tears.

He didn't even blink.

_Mother?_

She had always liked the rain.

Thunder boomed and crashed above in reply as lightning flashed. Vaguely, he remembered that it wasn't safe to be near a tree during a lightning storm, so he lifted himself up and numbly reached down; grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder as he put his glasses back on and shoved the picture back where he had gotten it.

_I'm not going back._

The world suddenly tilted, and he instinctively leaned against the tree until his vision cleared, his face feeling a little cooler than usual.

_It's just the rain. _

Without another glance, he left, walking through the woods seeking to jump the high brick wall and find refuge in the streets.

He didn't notice a pair of sea-colored eyes that had been watching in pain the entire time.

-------------------- --------------------- --------------------------- --------------------

Sasuke succeeded in vaulting over the wall and onto the sidewalk easily as the storm continued to rage, his hair and clothes soaking but his glasses tucked safely away in his bag. The rain was coming down so hard – he wouldn't be able to see anything with them anyway. Everything was misty – hazy – and Sasuke relished in the lack of sight.

_If you can't see nothing can hurt –_

But something was strange – he felt light-headed, dizzy – and he was finding it unusually hard to walk in a straight line – he had to rest his hand against the stone wall as he walked, using it to guide him.

He blamed it on the lack of glasses – his eyes weren't used to it and they burned.

Ice cold droplets of rain stung against his skin as they fell, the storm – despite the ferocity – carrying very little wind with it. The rain fell relatively straight, and – due to the fierceness of the storm – the streets were abandoned.

_Hm. My bag's getting soaked. I should find some way to keep the papers dry._

_No. Never mind. There's just binders… and folders… in there. They're waterproof. They should be fine._

In the chaotic flashes of lightning and the rolls of thunder and the pounding echo of rain, Sasuke didn't realize anyone was following him until they had reached the shelter of an overhanging awning, the sounds of rain muffled by the water-repellant cloth.

"Where are you going?"

He instantly recognized the voice. Fighting down a scream – _why the hell can't these FUCKERS just leave me alone? – _he whirled to face the other.

"Why the hell should it matter to you?" He spat viciously, wanting nothing more than to crawl into his bed and sleep until he had to go to work.

It was then he realized he left his skateboard in his locker.

_Awe, SHIT –_

"Look, did I do something wrong?" Naruto asked, his face swimming in Sasuke's vision as the Uchiha fought to bring the blonde into focus, the other being nothing but a mop of blonde hair. "You've been ignoring me AND avoiding me ever since English! AND I saw Sakura talking to Jirobo and them – what on earth is going on?"

Sasuke felt a pulse of contempt.

_Only been there for a day and ALREADY he knows the Sound Four's names, huh? Just PEACHY – _

"That's none of your concern!" He snapped, using the mop of bright yellow in his vision as a guide. "If I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to talk – okay? Fuck off!" He whirled to continue walking, uncaring if he couldn't see worth a damn.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"What the hell is your problem?" He demanded.

Sasuke spun to face him again, all the pain of nine years of torment boiling within him, bursting to get out.

"Well, _YOU_, obviously!" He hissed, his face heating up. "Mr. _Popular _and his pack of jealous bitches for groupies!"

Naruto looked as though he had been slapped.

But Sasuke couldn't see it.

"What do you MEAN, 'pack of jealous bitches for groupies'? Sasuke, what the hell have they been doing to you?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"I _wonder_, dammit!" He snapped irritably. "This NEVER would've happened if you had decided to just _listen _to fucking Sakura and her pig-for-a-friend Ino! Why couldn't you just shut up and _STAY WHERE YOU BELONGED?_"

Naruto glared back.

"_STAY WHERE I BELONGED? _What the HELL, Sasuke? Who are YOU to decide WHERE I belong and where I don't?"

The Uchiha fought back the urge to punch the blonde in the face. Something – something about this _idiot _in front of him drove him up the wall with rage.

That and his entire body seemed to be scalding hot.

"It's common SENSE, Naruto!" He bellowed. "You have family, you're _RICH_! _I_, however, am the 'faggot'!" He did the quotation symbols with his fingers. "I work two jobs, I have NO computer, TV, OR cell phone!" He labeled them off on his fingers. "I have long hair, glasses, my only source of transportation is a piece of wood on a pair of axles, and my only family is a homicidal _MANIAC_ for a brother, who hasn't even _WANTED _me as his brother for over nine years! Where do you _THINK_ you belong, Naruto? You have no place with me – your place is with the other rich jocks on the football field, okay? So just _STAY AWAY FROM ME!_"

Every frustration, every rage, every source of anger he ever possessed came roaring out in a bitter wave, and Sasuke thanked the fact that water was dripping from his hair onto his face, because he was sure he was crying again.

Naruto merely stared at him as if the Uchiha had slapped him across the face.

Again – Sasuke couldn't see it. Glasses were there for a reason.

Every instinct in the Uchiha's body told him to run – to just whirl and dash out into the rain – but something in the blonde's gaze – the thing that made his back muscles stiffen and face flush and knees lock – held him back.

Something kept his feet glued to the ground.

The same thing that made his heart wrench in pain.

But of course, he didn't know that.

When the blonde spoke, his voice was quiet – soft.

"Do you really think that, Sasuke?" He asked gently.

Sasuke's anger boiled again, and he found from sobbing out loud – both pain from sadness and rage mixing together in his stomach.

"Before you came –"

_Before you came –_

"I was perfectly fine –"

_I was ready to die –_

He remembered the hope that had risen in his chest at Naruto's words to him in the restaurant, and the pain that tore him apart when he ignored the blond during English class.

_I CAN'T!_

"UNTIL YOU MADE EVERYTHING MORE OF A HELL THAN IT ALREADY WAS!"

_**Until you opened up my eyes.**_

Bitterly, he spat out those last words, while everything in his heart begged from him to stop.

_I can't drag him down!_

He told himself that he was doing this for Naruto – doing this for the blonde alone and NOT for the selfish child inside of his heart – the one that refused to accept change – the one that wanted nothing to change, no matter how horrible he had to be to a person to keep it that way or no matter how _good _that change seemed – the one that screamed out in hatred and pain.

The one that was _deathly _afraid.

Sasuke thought that he would've fallen to his knees had his pride not held him up. He suddenly felt so _weak_ –

Naruto solemnly looked at him, anguish reflecting in his wide eyes.

The same anguish that ravaged Sasuke's heart.

But – once more – the Uchiha was blind to it.

_Just turn and leave, dammit! Forget you ever met me – forget we ever got CLOSE to becoming close!_

He silently begged Naruto obey him – to turn his back on him and forget he ever existed.

_It would be so much easier for us both – _

Then why did his heart hurt so much?

Naruto closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again.

"Okay," he stated, his voice blank. "If that's what you want – that's fine. I'll do it. But at least let me walk you to your apartment before I do – you don't live far, right?"

Sasuke glared at him.

"What makes you think I'm going to my _apartment_?" He snapped.

Naruto gave him a grim smile.

"Where else CAN you go?" He asked.

Sasuke blinked at him, realizing his point. Meekly, he followed Naruto out from the awning and into the rain, the blonde allowing the Uchiha to go in the front to lead the way back the way they had come.

The downpour had lessened slightly, but Sasuke still couldn't see, so he pulled out his glasses and put them on, letting everything go into sharper focus instantaneously.

They said nothing as they walked, the air between them tense and awkward. The Uchiha – quite frankly – was surprised that Naruto had acted the way he did. He had actually expected the blonde to violently lash out – to beat him down to the ground for _ever _speaking to him like that.

On a certain level, Sasuke wished he had. At least he knew how to deal with physical pain. At least the separation would've been easier to deal with – he could've used hatred as a weapon to help him do it.

But this tender understanding – Naruto's kind voice when he offered to walk him back – it had been just too much. Sasuke's heart was being torn in two – he didn't know _what _to do with himself around the blonde now.

His heart still ached, and he yearned to take back everything he had said – to take back everything and apologize to the blonde over and over for acting like such a total dickhead.

But he stayed silent.

He was a coward, after all.

They were passing the park when Naruto spoke.

"How much further is it?" He asked, his voice blank albeit for slight curiosity. Sasuke didn't trust himself to look at him.

"About twenty-five more minutes," he replied in that same tone, minus the curiosity.

A part of him cried out to the blonde, and he viciously bit his lip to stop from blurting out nonsense as his vision swam.

_Dammit you stay FOCUSED –_

He glanced over at Naruto – they had started walking side by side now – to see the other's face clouded with thought.

His eyes narrowed.

_I wonder what he's thinking…_

Fighting to keep his balance for another twenty-three minutes, he forced himself up the five flights of stairs, gasping when he normally would've been unfazed.

_Dammit what's WRONG with me –?_

Upon reaching his floor's landing, he blinked hazily to see a group of people around his door.

He recognized one of them, and ran forward, panic seizing his heart as his vision suddenly cleared.

_Oh God what happened –?_

"Mrs. Otogowa!" He called, running to her with Naruto following close behind. The elderly woman that lived on his floor turned to him.

"Oh, Sasuke!" She exclaimed. "I'm so sorry dear! I didn't see who did it – there was all this noise, and my vision is so bad, you see –"

"Mrs. Otogowa, what're you –"

Sasuke had pushed through the crowd surrounding his door to stop dead, staring at his apartment door.

"– talking about?"

Except there wasn't a door.

It had been crashed in.

_Oh please God no –_

He heard Naruto suck in a breath beside him.

The apartment was completely trashed.

Wallpaper was torn off, the couch was ripped apart, chair pieces were thrown across the room and the windows were busted with heavy brick. Two holes had been punched in the wall separating the main room from his bedroom, and everything was covered in cynical spray paint messages.

Sasuke felt his heart drop into his feet as his fought to keep his balance.

_Oh GOD no –_

"_**STAY OUT OF OUR SCHOOL!"**_

"_**FAGGOT!"**_

"_**SLUT!"**_

"_**MAN-WHORE!"**_

"_**DON'T SHOW YOUR FACE AGAIN!"**_

"_**CRAZY FAG!"**_

"_**WE DON'T WANT YOU HERE!"**_

"_**STAY AWAY FROM NARUTO!"**_

This last message made Naruto's eyes widen. Slowly, he looked to Sasuke.

"So THAT was why…" he breathed. "THAT was why you said…"

Sasuke didn't reply. Those messages flashed through his thoughts, the destruction slammed into his mind with the force of a freight train.

_**NO! **_

He leaped forward, rushing into the bedroom with Naruto at his heels.

_Please God NO –!_

THAT door had been crashed in as well, and the room was in equal amounts of destruction – the desk had been snapped in two, the legs torn off and used to shatter the windows. Papers were everywhere, the bed frame had been ripped apart, and the mattress, comforter, sheets, and blankets were torn to shreds.

The blankets he had been using ever since he was a child – the only things left of his childhood – the only things the government had let him keep.

The corners of his eyes began to burn –

_Please God tell me this is a dream –_

The bedroom was also filled with hateful messages written in spray paint, but – for the moment – Sasuke didn't care about any of that.

He was looking at the bedside table.

The bedside table where his second most treasured possession had lay.

But now it was in ruins.

_God no –_

Before hand, there had been a beautiful wooden frame he had found in the attic of his old house, and he had taken it to his new apartment, placing a picture inside with the utmost care.

It had been a picture of him and his brother – when he was merely four and Itachi, nine. It had been during winter, and the family had gone up to Oregon to see snow as an early Christmas present – it had been the first (and last) Sasuke had ever seen the powdery substance.

Sasuke was riding on Itachi's shoulders, clad in warm pants and a long-sleeve sweater with a scarf wrapped around his neck of matching dark navy colors. His nose was tinged with red and his cheeks were flushed pink with cold and excitement. He had been childishly pulling Itachi's hair in his mitten-covered hands when the picture had been taken, and the long black locks were still in his hands. His mouth was open in a wide grin and his eyes sparkling with laughter as a blue beanie covered his unruly hair.

Itachi was dressed the same way, holding Sasuke's legs to keep him from falling in black, glove-colored hands, a scarf wrapped around HIS neck as well, and clothed in a black trench coat that – as Sasuke remembered – fell to his ankles. He had no hat, but his nose and cheeks were tinged with red as well, and his mouth was open in a smile identical to Sasuke's. His eyes twinkled with merriment, and Sasuke knew that had been the best Christmas they had ever shared.

He cherished that picture – _adored_ it. Because that was the brother he _knew _– the brother that loved him and that had protected him from everything. That picture was literally his _heart_.

But now the frame was crushed on the floor as if someone had stepped on it, and the picture had been ripped to shreds. But Sasuke could still clearly see – whoever did this had purposely left Itachi's face intact, and they had scrawled right on the picture in black permanent marker – right over his face.

"_**MURDERER!"**_

Sasuke felt shock flood into his system. He couldn't take his eyes off the shreds of the picture left on the mutilated nightstand – couldn't take his eyes off the hateful message.

His heart was torn apart – barely anything was left – just like the pieces of the picture on the nightstand that had nearly been cut in half.

He wasn't aware that he had begun to shake.

He wasn't aware that he was crying.

"_**NO**__!" _He wanted to scream. _"ITACHI WASN'T LIKE THAT! HE __**LOVED **__ME! HE LOVED ME AND OUR PARENTS, AND HE WOULD'VE DONE __**ANYTHING **__FOR ME! THAT PERSON WHO KILLED OUR PARENTS WAS __**NOT MY BROTHER**__!" _

He wanted to scream – to scream, shout, kick, rage – but he didn't. There was something he wanted to do more than _any _of that.

He wanted to die.

_Please God NO!_

The Uchiha's face suddenly flared with heat – like it was burning furiously from the inside out.

The world tilted.

_What the…?_

Suddenly it seemed like all the energy had drained from his limbs – suddenly he wanted to sleep – wanted to sleep eternally, so he wouldn't have to be hurt anymore.

_Oh…_

Sighing, Sasuke's eyes closed.

Naruto's own widened.

"SASUKE!"

Leaning forward, he managed to catch Sasuke before the other hit the ground.

The Uchiha just barely opened his eyes, looking up at Naruto but not seeing.

But somehow, he knew the blonde was there.

"Naru…" he gasped out weakly before his eyes closed again, his head lolling to the side as his body fell limp. The back of his neck burned furiously underneath Naruto's fingers.

"SASUKE!"

"_**STAY AWAY FROM NARUTO!"**_

_I… can't._

**End Line Four: Until You Opened Up My Eyes**

**Notes:**

**Did you know that writing this chapter made me cry? It did. I teared up. It was awful.**

**So yeah, Hinata's super-younger in this story. But she's so much cuter that way. :3**

**Heh. Sasuke talks to himself. MPD much, right? Lawl. **

**I hope you all enjoyed it. And again, sorry as always for taking so long.**

**Much love to you all. **

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	5. Line Five: To What It's Like

**Hello, hello, hello. :)**

**You know what I realized? **

**I may have to make these chapters longer. *ninja***

**We'll see though. **

**Hope you like it! 21 pages of goodness!**

**And a special person enters the scene today… 3 Oo-la-la…**

**You Found Me**

**Line Five: To What It's Like When Everything's Right**

Everything was blurry – trying to make sense of everything made his head hurt – more than it already was.

_Something… is strange._

His brain was pulsing angrily inside his head – making his skull throb – and he was overtaken by a wave of chills, making him shiver as he burrowed down further into his warm confines.

_This smell… is different._

He could feel warmth at his back and a secure, soft weight above him – one that held _IN _his heat instead of creating it.

_This isn't the way I smell._

His hearing was cloudy – he couldn't make sense of anything he heard around him, preferring instead to drown it out in blissful silence.

_This smells… familiar though._

It seemed like he was resting on a soft downy pillow of gray – far away from anything and wonderfully alone.

_It smells like… burning cedar wood._

He remembered it, but from where, he couldn't be sure.

_This isn't my apartment. _

He was curled up on his left side, knees tucked neatly into his belly and elbows pulled into his chest in a fetal position as he held his right hand close to his mouth – a position that he had assumed every night since birth.

_My apartment got torn apart._

It was strange, but strangely comforting – that smell.

_So… where…_

He blearily opened his eyes.

_Am I?_

He opened his eyes to see Naruto standing by the side of his bed, looking at him with concern written all over his face.

When he saw his eyes open, the blonde smiled thankfully.

"Oh, thank God!" He exclaimed, hurting the other's ears. "You're awake!"

Sasuke gave a soft grunt, shifting uncomfortably underneath the sheets as his entire body suddenly seemed to be sore.

"Ugh… Naruto?" He asked wearily, not making an effort to move the blanket from where it covered the lower half of his face, thus muffling his words. "Where am I?"

The blonde grinned sheepishly at him.

"Well… you're at my house, in my brother's designated room," he informed the other. "You collapsed when we got to your place, so I called my parents and we rushed you here. You had an awful fever! You were feeling bad ever since you got up yesterday, weren't you?"

The demand was motherly – truly concerned – and Sasuke blinked, shifting slightly once more and not even hearing the word 'yesterday'.

"Yeah… I guess," he muttered.

_That would explain why I called Sakura and her terrible two 'bitches' like, three times._

Naruto glared at him.

"It's the lack of sleep and overworking – it's been getting to you, dammit! I TOLD you working until four was a bad idea – just look where you turned up! And the rain probably didn't help EITHER! Not to mention that you barely ever eat ANYTHING! Why on earth do you DO this to yourself, Sasuke?"

The Uchiha tried to muster enough strength to glare at the blonde, but found that even furrowing his eyebrows took too much effort and made his head pound with an even greater ferocity. He sighed in exhaustion, trying to snuggle deeper into the soft sheets underneath him, attempting to disappear and block out Naruto's annoyingly mother-hen voice.

_Ugh. My head hurts. _

"That's enough, Naruto."

The blonde looked away in the direction that obviously held the door.

"Oh, sorry Mom," he stated.

"He's still recovering," said his mother. "You can reprimand him all you want AFTER he's all better."

"Yes, Mom."

Sasuke didn't have enough energy to look up to see what she looked like, but he didn't need to. The blonde's mother walked across the room to stand at his bedside next to Naruto.

The Uchiha's first thought even without his glasses was – _that woman is beautiful._

Long auburn hair flowed down strongly-built shoulders. Blue eyes glinted merrily behind narrow reading glasses, and a small, comforting smile shaped the motherly lips. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt with three stars on the chest, and Sasuke wondered vaguely what she wearing – a skirt or pants?

When the smile broadened, the Uchiha was struck with such familiarity that he nearly sobbed out loud. That was _his mother's smile_.

For a moment, that was brunette hair – and not auburn – that fell down slim – not strong – shoulders. Those eyes – for a split second – were green, not blue – and Sasuke had an instinctive urge to leap out of his bed and latch onto her, sobbing his heart out.

But another blink, and his mother was gone.

Sasuke bit his lip underneath the covers to keep from screaming.

"I'm so glad you're awake, dear," the woman told him, her voice warm and unaware of the pain she caused. "You've been out for well over a day – we were afraid we were going to have to take you to a hospital!" She laughed good-naturedly, and Sasuke felt instantly attracted to her. She just seemed like a mother _everyone _could love.

That realization made him ache all the more.

_Mother…_

She continued to speak, unknowing of the pain her presence was causing.

"But, now that you're awake, that shows the worst of the fever has passed! Just focus on resting up now, okay?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. When he spoke, his voice was weak and obedient. It seemed like being strong and defiant was very taxing on the body.

"…Okay."

She gave him a broad smile – one identical to Naruto's.

"Okay dear – good night." She turned to her son. "C'mon Naruto," she said. "Let's go – he needs his rest."

The blonde smiled up at her.

"Okay, Mom."

Smiling at him, she turned and left the room, Naruto at her heels. He was just about to shut out the lights when Sasuke heard him speak.

"Get well soon, Sasuke."

Then the lights went out, and the Uchiha gratefully closed his eyes, anxious to get to the place where – even if it was _just _for a while – he wouldn't have to think.

When he awoke again, it was nighttime.

The room was empty.

And he felt a little better than he had before.

_Mmm… how long was I out?_

Yawning, he managed to push off the covers – the ones that had seemed never warm enough now seemed unbearably hot – and climb out.

The world tilted suddenly when he straightened, and he had to grab the edge of the nightstand to keep himself steady, his world reeling.

_Ugh – dammit! I'm SO weak right now!_

Shaking his head vigorously, he managed to stand straight and still retain his balance. His knees felt shaky beneath his weight, but he blamed it on the fever as he forced them to hold him up.

It was then he realized he was wearing nothing more than his undershirt for his school uniform, and boxers.

He screamed.

"_WHAT THE HELL AM I WEARING?_"

Hurting his own ears, he dove under the covers again, yanking them over his head and beginning to shake.

Only one thought was in his head.

_WHO THE HELL __**CHANGED **__MY CLOTHES?_

Voices from – Sasuke guessed – the first floor drifted upwards.

"_What on earth was that?"_

"_Oh! That must be –!"_

There were loud thumps as someone ran up the wooden stairs.

"_Wait, Bro – DON'T –!"_

The door was slammed open, the lights flipped on – and before Sasuke could tighten his grip on the blanket, it was roughly grabbed and yanked off to the foot of the bed.

Sasuke stared up into the blurry (because he wasn't wearing his glasses), fiery brown eyes of a man at least five years older than him.

Both pairs of eyes widened.

The Uchiha stared at a tall, darkly tanned man – even darker than Naruto – and red hair the same color as Naruto's mother's spiked up wildly in an unorthodox style, two long bangs falling around the slender face.

_He looks familiar…_

Then he became aware that the other was incredibly well-built.

_Oh my God he's gorgeous –!_

The man was also surveying him with interest, and Sasuke knew how he must have looked – hair a tangled mess around his face, cheeks flushed with both fever and embarrassment, sweat sliding down his face as he gasped in surprise and strain the sudden movement had caused, wrists even with his shoulders and his lower body twisted towards the wall at his right, knees up and slightly spread, his shirt ridden up to reveal his midriff, and – to top it all off – clad in nothing more but a thin white sleeveless undershirt and short, _short_, black boxers that had somehow ridden up what little of his thighs they covered, exposing every inch of his pale legs.

He thought he looked absolutely ridiculous, but if he had known better, he would've known that he presented a very _tempting _dish.

Well, the other DID know better.

And he DID see Sasuke as such.

They stared at each other for a spilt second – enough to drink in each other's appearances – before the redhead smirked, leaning forward over the bed to place his face very close to Sasuke's.

The Uchiha flushed – too confused and embarrassed to shrink away, and _very _mindful of the clothes he was wearing.

"And what is _THIS_?" A deep baritone voice purred – one that Sasuke found _absurdly _sexy.

_Dammit what's WRONG with me –?_

The elder raised a hand, setting his thumb on Sasuke's chin and pushing it down, so that Sasuke's head was forced to become parallel with the redhead's as his terrified, confused black eyes locked with half-closed, endless brown ones. The man's hand was warm against the Uchiha's throat, and Sasuke felt his heart begin to pound relentlessly – so fast that he was _certain _the other could feel the frantic pulsing underneath his tanned fingers.

But he couldn't pull away.

_Who IS this man?_

"An early birthday present for _ME_, perhaps?" The redhead asked seductively, his lips becoming ever closer to Sasuke's as his left hand placed itself on the bed on the Uchiha's other side, effectively cutting off all ways of retreat as he loomed over the smaller.

Then a strange smell flooded his senses – one Sasuke recognized.

_That… smell…_

_That burning cedar wood…_

It was coming from the man.

_That's HIM!_

The redhead's left hand moved from the mattress to Sasuke's hip, slipping underneath the white shirt teasingly.

Terror shot through Sasuke's body at the touch, making him stiffen in the other's hold.

_Dammit make it stop – _

He screwed his eyes shut and turned his face away from the redhead, letting out a fearful, pathetic whine.

_Naruto!_

"_KYUUBI_!"

The redhead glanced away from Sasuke and the Uchiha opened his eyes at the roar fast enough to see the man leap away from him just as a smaller replica of him – but blonde and lighter-skinned – leaped at him with a fist swinging.

Laughing, the elder caught the fist.

"Gosh Naruto, what's wrong?"

Sasuke could tell the blonde was raging the way steam came out of the teen's ears.

He blinked, pushing himself off the mattress to sit up, leaning against the wall with his legs bent and thighs to his stomach, his legs unconsciously tensing and drawing together.

_Am I dreaming?_

"'_WHAT'S WRONG_'? DAMMIT KYUUBI – YOU NEARLY GAVE SASUKE A HEART ATTACK, THE WAY YOU WERE BENDING OVER HIM LIKE THAT! DON'T YOU KNOW HE'S SICK?"

Sasuke couldn't see it because he was blind without his glasses, but Naruto saw the redhead raise and eyebrow and smirk – as if Naruto had just let slip an extremely juicy secret.

"Sasuke? So THAT'S his name, huh? Hmm… sounds familiar…" The last part, no one except the speaker heard. He looked at Naruto. "If he's sick, why is he here? Not that I'm _complaining_…"

The last part – again – was meant for the speaker and the speaker alone, and he had to hide a smile behind a fist.

Naruto glared at him.

"He's here because he can't go back to his apartment," he muttered. "Mom and Dad said it was okay for us to take care of him until he was better."

Sasuke's Uchiha pride raised its problematic head.

"I don't need your charity!" He snapped irritably to the blur with blonde hair he knew as Naruto. "After what I said to you, I'm surprised you didn't just leave me there to take care of myself! How the hell can you _treat _me like this after what I did?"

The redhead raised an eyebrow, that same smirk on his lips.

"Oh. The boy's feisty," he murmured to himself. "That's nice – I like it."

Naruto turned to look at the Uchiha.

"I did what I did because I was worried about you," he told the raven, making the other blink. He could tell Naruto was serious by his voice, even if his face was a complete blur. "What they did to your apartment was horrible, and what you said was horrible, but there was no way I could just leave you in that place to die."

Sasuke snorted.

"Blonde _idiot_," he spat. "A fever wouldn't _kill _me."

Naruto glared at him.

"IT ALMOST DID –!"

"Whoa! Naruto, you didn't tell me this," the redhead cut him off. "What happened to Sasuke's apartment?"

"That's on a need-to-know basis," the Uchiha snapped before Naruto could answer, turning one leg to rest the left side of it on the mattress while keeping the other pulled up into his chest, resting his right elbow on that knee with his arm bent inward. He leaned forward against his thigh, his left hand on the mattress in front of his right foot and his eyes narrowed cynically.

It felt good to be back to being sarcastic and cold than exploring unknown territories of embarrassment and _almost _molestation.

But he couldn't help but wonder.

_That smell from before… was I sleeping in this guy's old blankets?_

He had never expected to feel so safe in a stranger's smell.

_I blame it on the fever. _

The redhead laughed.

"Okay, whatever!" He replied easily.

Naruto blinked as he realized Sasuke wasn't looking directly at his face – the raven's gaze went upwards – at his hair.

"What on earth…?" He breathed. Then it hit him. "OH! His glasses!" He turned to the bedside table, where the black frames were resting. Before he could reach them, the redhead had plucked them off the nightstand and was leaning over the bed, placing them on Sasuke's blushing face and leaving the Uchiha wide-eyed and flabbergasted behind the lenses.

The redhead smiled brightly at him.

"There! That's better, isn't it?"

Sasuke couldn't answer – everything about the elder man had come into brilliant detail.

_Oh my God he really IS gorgeous –_

The redhead opened his eyes and gazed into Sasuke's, coming closer and closer by the moment.

"You know, even with the glasses…" his breath was washing over Sasuke's lips and the Uchiha willed him away and yet closer at the same time – _oh God what's HAPPENING to me –? _"…you're pretty cute. How did Naruto manage to land a catch like you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened as the weight of those words struck life back into his limbs. Furiously, he raised his hands and set them on the other's shoulders, shoving him powerfully away and off the bed.

"I AM MORALLY INSULTED!" He bellowed, forgetting – for the time being – that he was clad in nothing more than a thin shirt and boxers that didn't even reach the middle of his thigh. His glasses gave him courage – seeing as how he could actually _see _now – and he swung his legs off the bed and stood, shouting all the while. Needless to say, he was feeling better. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT NARUTO AND I ARE _LIKE _THAT? I WOULD NEVER _DREAM _OF GOING THERE WITH HIM! HE IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER _MORON _WHO WOULDN'T KNOW COMMON SENSE EVEN IF IT _SLAPPED_ HIM IN THE FACE –!"

Naruto glared at him.

"YOU BASTARD! I JUST SAVED YOUR LIFE –!"

The redhead stuck an arm in front of him to cut him off.

"Cool it Naruto – he's on a roll."

Sasuke continued.

"HE HAS NO SENSE OF PRIVACY OR DECENCY, AND HAS QUITE AN _ANNOYING _KNACK OF STICKING HIS NOSE IN YOUR BUSINESS WHEN YOU HAVE EVERY DESIRE TO CHOP PROTRUDING LIMBS _OFF_ –!"

"MY NOSE IS NOT A _LIMB –_!"

"AND NOT ONLY DOES HE BECOME QUITE A _VEXING _CHARACTER, BUT HE'S ALSO _EXTREMELY _LOUD, AND _NOTHING _HE SAYS IS _EVER _OF IMPORTANCE!"

"YOU ASSHOLE! YES IT IS –!"

"HE JUST WASTES TIME CHATTING YOUR EARS OFF WHILE COMPLETELY _OBLIVIOUS _TO THE FACT THAT YOU'RE NOT EVEN LISTENING TO A _WORD_ HE'S SAYING! AND WHEN HE ASKS YOU TO REPLY AND YOU DON'T, HE GETS MAD, TELLING YOU OFF FOR NOT LISTENING WHEN IT SHOULD'VE BEEN COMPLETELY _OBVIOUS _THAT YOU WEREN'T LISTENING IN THE FIRST PLACE –!"

"BASTARD! SHUT UP!"

"SO, TO PUT IT INCREDIBLY BLUNT SO THAT EVEN _HE _COULD UNDERSTAND IT IF HE ACTUALLY GOT IT INTO HIS THICK SKULL TO _TRY_ –"

"SASUKE, YOU ARE SUCH A –"

"HE IS A COMPLETE AND UTTER –"

"_IDIOT NOT WORTHY OF MY TIME, ENERGY OR PATIENCE!_" They roared together. By this time, they had yelled their voices hoarse, and were standing nose to nose as they glared at each other, eyes shooting spitfire with the redhead next to them, blinking in surprise.

Naruto's mother and father peeked into the room from the open door.

His father laughed.

"They seem like…" he began, "such good friends."

His wife nodded in approval.

Sasuke and Naruto merely glared at each other for a moment, both gasping angrily with their noses nearly touching – and the redhead wondered if they were going to start throwing punches – before they simultaneously stepped away from each other and let out huge sighs, shaking their heads and talking at the same time to each other.

"Oh, it felt good to get that off my chest –"

"Oh, do I feel better –"

"I really needed that –"

"Yeah – I know how you feel –"

"We just needed to scream, you know –?"

"Yeah, do I ever – so do you feel better –?"

"Oh – definitely. We really need to do that more often –"

"Right? Whoever knew yelling at people could let out so much stress –?"

They continued talking as if nothing had happened between them, and the redhead was left staring dumbly for a moment, wondering what on earth had just happened.

Finally, Naruto seemed to realize he was there, and looped an arm around his waist.

"Let me formally introduce you two," he said while doing so. "Sasuke, meet my older brother – Kyuubi." The redhead smiled and waved, the name ringing a loud bell in the Uchiha's head. "Kyuubi, meet Sasuke."

They shook hands, their first encounter playing itself in Sasuke's mind and making him _extremely _self-conscious.

"Nice to meet you," he managed to say as he noticed that his small, pale hand seemed to be swallowed by Kyuubi's larger one.

Kyuubi seemed to notice this too, for he raised an eyebrow and grinned, taking Sasuke's fingers in his own and raising the back of the Uchiha's hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles with mirth sparkling in his eyes.

"It's wonderful to meet you as well, Sasuke Uchiha," he murmured huskily, his eyes suddenly holding something more than amusement as he locked eyes with the raven.

Sasuke forgot to blush as he realized that Naruto had never told the redhead his last name.

Then it clicked.

"IT'S YOU!" He bellowed, pulling his hand away to point at the elder man, who was now smirking in satisfaction as Naruto looked on, dumbly blinking. "KYUUBI UZUMAKI! _YOU_ WERE MY BROTHER'S BEST FRIEND!"

The redhead laughed.

"I was wondering when you'd remember," he stated. "You've grown a lot, Sasuke."

Flashes of memory when the redhead – a teenager back then, three years older than Itachi's ten years – spent time at their home raced through Sasuke's mind. Once when Itachi and Kyuubi were wrestling in the backyard, another time when they were playing catch with Sasuke, another when they were eating sandwiches Sasuke's mother had made, and the second-to-last time Kyuubi had come to visit before he had moved – when Sasuke had walked in on them with Itachi-the-thirteen-year-old pushed up against the wall, Kyuubi pressed against him with their mouths connected.

So many years of hardship had made that memory obsolete, but meeting the boy again with such fiery red hair made him remember again, and he blushed furiously, hiding his face in his hands.

"HOW ON EARTH COULD YOU _DO _THAT WITH EACH OTHER?" He bellowed to his hands, making Naruto blink dumbly as Kyuubi watched Sasuke, amused. "AND IN FRONT OF AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD KID! DAMMIT, HE HAD BARELY HIT _PUBERTY_, DAMN IT ALL, AND THERE YOU WERE _DOING _THAT WITH HIM! OH MY GOD!" He backed up a few steps as Kyuubi bit back a laugh. "MY EYES! MY POOR EYES! I SWEAR, _THAT _WAS THE REASON I NEEDED GLASSES! _THAT ONE SPLIT __**SECOND**_! WITH THE TEETH, AND THE TONGUES, AND THE – UGH!" He shuddered as Kyuubi's shoulders shook with silent laughter. "I'M BLINDED FOR _LIIIIFE!_"

Kyuubi couldn't help it – he burst out laughing.

Sasuke – immediately – dropped the act (he had gotten over the shock after the second exclamation) and leaned back on his heels, holding his elbows and looking mighty pleased with himself.

Naruto glanced between the Uchiha and his elder brother – who was doubled over laughing so hard that tears came out of his eyes – with a dumb look on his face.

The Uchiha – in response to the silent question – merely shrugged, his eyes silently laughing at the blonde.

After a few more moments of powerful laughter, Kyuubi managed to straighten up and force his laughter down to uncontrollable giggles.

"Awe, MAN!" He exclaimed, breathless. "You have it! You HAVE IT! Kankuro was right!"

Sasuke blinked, recognizing the name.

"Kankuro? How do you know him?"

Sniffing and rubbing his nose with a finger, Kyuubi couldn't help but grin as tears leaked out of his eyes.

"He and I were in Drama class together before I graduated. We still keep in touch. Last year, he told me that there was this new sophomore in Drama that had _the gift _by the name of Sasuke Uchiha, and I told him to keep an eye on him. Kankuro – just recently – told me that this same sophomore – a junior now – has become one of the best actors the school has ever seen, and his _favorite _scene partner."

Kyuubi wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Sasuke blushed at the innuendo.

"SHUT UP!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms defensively and looking away. Naruto blinked at his brother.

"Gift?" He repeated. "What do you mean by 'gift'?"

Kyuubi grinned at him.

"_The gift _is the ability to play any role – to be completely adaptable for all improv situations – both onstage and off. It's very rare – I had it when I was in Drama, and now Sasuke does as well."

He beamed at the Uchiha, who couldn't stop a pleased smile and blush from forming. He flapped a hand bashfully, looking away at the ground by his feet.

"I just love acting – that's all! Anyone could be good if they tried!" He exclaimed, not wanting to look up into Kyuubi's shining eyes should he melt.

Naruto blinked and then nodded in understanding.

His brother grinned.

"Yeah, but not everyone can be _great_," he told the Uchiha, making the other shoot him a 'shut-up-you're-embarrassing-me-and-even-though-I-like-it-I-want-you-to-stop-just-to-be-polite' look as he blushed even more fiercely.

"Wonderful dear," the three looked to the door to see Naruto's mother standing there with a warm smile on her face. "Now come on everyone – back to the dining room. Now we can have dinner now that Naruto's friend is awake!" She smiled at him, and Sasuke blinked as he realized something.

"CRAP!" He bellowed, his hands shooting up to clench his hair. "HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN _OUT_?"

"Two days," Naruto replied bluntly. The Uchiha whirled to face him.

"OH NO! MY JOBS! THEY'RE GOING TO BE _PISSED –_!"

"Relax, hunny," Naruto's mother calmly interrupted. "We've already called your work and told the manager you were sick. As it turns out, _Shark Tails _is our favorite place to eat out!"

Sasuke was in a total state of panic.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT _BONDAGE__ –_?"

"WHOA!"

Sasuke found himself lifted off the floor and his lower torso crushed against Kyuubi's stomach as the elder man wrapped his arms around the Uchiha's knees. The redhead's face was inches from his own, and Sasuke found himself blushing furiously, his hands molding with surprising ease into the curves of Kyuubi's shoulders.

_Oh no not AGAIN –_

Then he noticed that the redhead's hands were wandering ever so slowly.

_Awe CRAP –!_

"_Shark Tails_?" Kyuubi repeated, his eyes wide in excitement. "You work at _SHARK TAILS_? I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" His grip on Sasuke tightened, and the Uchiha winced. "Is Zabuza still running the shop? How is he – is he doing well? Is he still scary?"

The last question was warm and fond – knowing.

Sasuke grunted.

"He's… doing fine," he managed to say, forcing a weak smile. "Still REALLY scary, but… _fine_."

The Kyuubi smiled broadly, and Sasuke fought himself noticing how nice the elder's smile looked.

Angry at his thoughts, he mentally smacked himself.

_NOW IS NOT A TIME TO BE LOOKING AT MEN! _He scolded himself.

_**Why not?**_

Sasuke blinked at the question.

_**Why can't you be looking at men? There's nothing else for you now. Your apartment is in shreds, the entire school rejects you, and NOW…**_

It was then he realized that Kyuubi hadn't put him down, and the other's fingers were strangely close to the waistband of his boxers.

He blushed.

_**There seems to be someone… INTERESTED…**_

_NO WAY! _He argued, mentally flailing his arms. _I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD MY FIRST KISS YET! I'M STILL A FUCKING __**VIRGIN**__! NONONO!_

_**Tsk. You're just scared.**_

Sasuke – if he looked in a mirror – knew he would see the arrow shooting into his head labeled _**'COWARD'**_.

_Yep – you know it. _

He swallowed.

"Can you… put me down now?" He managed to ask. Kyuubi smiled at him.

"Nope! You're still recovering, so you need to save your strength! Besides…" his voice grew considerable lower and more seductive as the two brothers left the room and walked along the hallway, heading for the stairs. His fingers moved from Sasuke's back, beginning to trail over to his hip.

The simple touch was enough to make the Uchiha shudder.

His face grew red again, and Kyuubi gently pushed him forward – so that he was pressed against the redhead's torso with their noses nearly touching. Sasuke looked everywhere but Kyuubi's eyes. The man's next sentence was breathed huskily in his ear.

"I like holding you."

The Uchiha flushed.

_WAH!_

"Well, can I at _least _borrow some other clothes?" He squeaked out, cursing himself when he realized how high his voice had gotten and making Kyuubi laugh.

"He can borrow some of mine," Naruto cut in before his brother could say anything. Sasuke thought vaguely there was something different about him, but was unable to continue on with that train of thought as the redhead jostled him, making him let out a small yelp and cling to him with fear of falling. "They'll be a little big, but they should fit."

"Sure – he can borrow some of your clothes later, but right now Mom and Dad are waiting – and he's probably _starving_!" He smiled at Sasuke. "Right?"

The Uchiha's eyebrows furrowed in both confusion and embarrassment, and he merely looked up at Kyuubi's smile for a moment.

"Well, I don't usually eat that much –" he began quietly, seeking to protest because _dammit _he didn't _enjoy _Kyuubi coping feels up his ass while he was wearing short black _boxers_, dammit!

Second – his lower body wasn't growing hotter. It _wasn't_.

But Kyuubi cut him off.

"Oh stop being so modest!" He exclaimed. "You're already as skinny as a twig, and you haven't eaten for two days! You _must _be hungry!"

The Uchiha blushed again – never before had someone so _gorgeous _been so concerned for him.

_It's just common courtesy – that's ALL it is –_

He held his fist up to his mouth in an unconscious gesture of uncertain modesty as he furrowed his eyebrows once more, a motion he had been doing ever since he was a child. Kyuubi thought it made him absurdly cute.

The redhead winked at the Uchiha.

"And besides, we always have WAY too much food – despite Naruto's tendencies to eat like a pig –"

"ASSHOLE! YOU EAT MORE THAN ME –!"

Sasuke had such a sudden urge to tell Naruto off. How _dare _he speak to his older brother like that?

_It's fine it's okay this isn't YOUR house it's just that you would NEVER speak to YOUR brother like that, so of COURSE you would react to that it's just respect for a person older than you that's ALL it is – _

_**Che. Keep telling yourself that. **_

"– and it'll be nice to have a new face at the table. Just eat a little, okay? And I don't mean just a bite!" Kyuubi added hastily after realizing what he had said. "At least a plateful, okay?"

Sasuke blinked up at him, suddenly forced into strange submission.

_Strange. The same thing happened with Naruto's mother. _

But back then he had blamed it on exhaustion and fever.

"…Okay."

So why was he doing it now?

He didn't realize Naruto had noticed the change too.

The Uchiha couldn't understand it.

_Why am I… comfortable with these people?_

He was sitting in the cradle made by the redhead's right arm, his legs pressed into the other's stomach as they reached the stairs, Naruto on Kyuubi's right side.

Though he was embarrassed, he couldn't help but feel strangely safe.

_Dear Lord what's wrong with me –?_

When they began to climb down, Kyuubi jostled him again so that the Uchiha thought he was going to fall, making him yelp and wrap his arms around the redhead's neck, not knowing that _that _was what he wanted.

"Don't DO that!" Sasuke exclaimed as the Kyuubi shifted him, slipping his left arm under the Uchiha's knees so that Sasuke was being held bridal style, his arms still around the redhead's neck and back to Naruto. "That's NOT _COOL_!"

Kyuubi laughed.

"Sorry!" He told the other, grinning like mad and making Sasuke glare at him. "It's just – you're so light – I forgot I was holding you!"

The Uchiha took his arms from the redhead's neck, crossed his arms moodily, and looked away.

"Asshole," he muttered, making Kyuubi laugh again.

"You wanna know something?" He asked as they made their way through the main hall and to the dining room. Sasuke thought the entry way looked strangely familiar. At the question, he turned to look at the man. The other smirked, leaning over slightly and lifting the Uchiha up higher to nuzzle the younger neck – something Naruto _didn't _miss. "You really _ARE _cute – even with the glasses."

Sasuke blushed and began to thrash, restraining from hitting the redhead across the jaw as he flailed his arms and kicked, trying to squirm out of Kyuubi's grip.

"OKAY! I'M FINE NOW! _PUT ME DOWN!_"

The redhead laughed and kept his grip on the Uchiha's petite form easily, allowing his hands to slide across Sasuke's back underneath the shirt and over his silken thighs in the confusion.

The Uchiha didn't notice.

"C'mon now – don't be so shy!" Kyuubi gently chided, silently laughing. "No one's gonna hurt you here!"

"_That's not what I'm worried about, you PERVERT!" _Sasuke wanted to scream.

But before he could, they had reached the dining room.

The Uchiha's eyes widened, and he fell limp in Kyuubi's arms.

_This dining room with a connecting wooden kitchen… why is it so familiar?_

Naruto's mother stood at their entrance from where she was seated at the table.

"Oh, wonderful! I'm so glad you're here! Kyuubi, dear, please put him down and let him take a seat."

The redhead smiled brightly.

"Okay Mom!" He moved to the fifth chair around the circular table and gently set Sasuke down, moving to take a seat next to him on his left side. Naruto – abnormally stiff and frowning – took a seat on Sasuke's other side. Naruto's mother smiled at the raven, who was wondering if the redhead's parents really _didn't _mind him eating at their table in a thin, sleeveless white shirt and _boxers_, of all things.

"I'm so sorry I didn't introduce myself before, dear. My name is Taniko Uzumaki. I am a dance teacher."

"And I'm Arashi Uzumaki," piped up Naruto's father. Sasuke looked at him to see a mop of blonde hair identical to Naruto's and intelligent, laughing brown eyes. "I'm a writer."

The Uchiha nodded to both of them.

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha," he replied. "Thank you so much for allowing me to stay."

Taniko smiled at him warmly at him.

"It was no trouble dear – we very well couldn't just leave you in the rain! And besides, Naruto insisted!"

Sasuke looked at the blonde questioningly, who blushed in embarrassment before stuttering out a 'MOM!' before looking down at his plate.

The Uchiha blinked at him, noticing the red tinting the tanned cheeks.

_Naruto…_

His mother laughed.

"There's no reason to be embarrassed, dear," she cooed lovingly. "That's a very fine thing you did!"

"Yes – truly," Arashi agreed. "Now let's not just sit here with all this wonderful food in front of us – everybody dig in!"

Laughing, they said grace and began to exchange plates, filling each one with mountainous heaps of grilled salmon, salad, and mashed potatoes, laughing and chatting aimlessly as they discussed Kyuubi's college.

"It's so nice to see you again, Kyuubi-dear," his mother exclaimed gently after handing him his plate, heaped high with food. "It's been a few years since we've last seen you since you started working after getting your Bachelor's Degree!"

His father nodded.

"Yes – we have so much to catch up on! Please – start at the beginning!"

Kyuubi laughed, scratching his head sheepishly.

"I'll tell you everything in time – but let's talk about Sasuke today! He IS our guest!"

The Uchiha – who had just been thanking God that they had forgotten him – jumped up as he was handed back his plate, noticing that everyone had their eyes on him. Kyuubi's own brown ones were twinkling with mirth as he gave Sasuke his plate.

"After all, I'm sure he has MUCH to tell us!"

Before Sasuke could breathe a word, Taniko cut in.

"That reminds me dear – I really didn't know what you liked or what you didn't, so I just went ahead and prepared what I was planning. But if there's nothing to your liking, I can go fix something for you –"

"No, please don't trouble yourself!" Sasuke's Uchiha manners forced him to speak. He cracked a smile. "I'm sure it's delicious – please don't worry."

Taniko surveyed him worriedly.

"Okay dear – but remember, if you need _anything_ more."

Sasuke nodded before lifting up his fork and tearing off a bit of the salmon before Arashi spoke.

"So, tell us Sasuke – what were you doing in an apartment by yourself?"

The Uchiha nearly bit his tongue in half. Kyuubi – sensing his distress – spoke for him.

"Dad, do you remember? The accident involving the Uchihas nine years ago–?"

"(gasp) Of course! How could I have forgotten?" Arashi exclaimed, flushing red in embarrassment. Sasuke knew at once Naruto got his clumsiness from his father. "My apologies, Sasuke! It completely slipped my mind! Please – forget I ever asked!"

The Uchiha didn't take his eyes from his plate.

"That's fine," he murmured.

"_IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT IT WAS __**MURDER**__!" _He wanted to shriek at the top of his lungs.

But of course he stayed silent. His upbringing commanded him to.

Taniko shot her husband a look that sent him cowering before turning back to the raven.

"I do remember your mother though," she told Sasuke in an effort to soothe him. "Oh, she's a _wonderful _woman!"

Sasuke noticed the present tense and looked up.

"'_She's'_? What on earth do you mean? She's _dead_."

Taniko smiled warmly at him.

"Oh, I'm well aware dear, but just because she's gone from _this _world doesn't mean she stopped being a wonderful person!"

Kyuubi grinned at Sasuke.

"She has this whole philosophy on spirits and the dead," he told him, laughter in his voice. "Don't get her started!"

"_Kyuubi Uzumaki_!" His mother snarled. He bolted back in a straight sitting position, hands in his lap and eyes on his plate, obviously used to this but scared nonetheless.

"Yes Mother!" He replied quickly to sate her wrath.

Sasuke couldn't help it – he let out a small smile.

But then his eyes widened, and he took in the entirety of Naruto's family as they all laughed and smiled.

_His family seems to be… shining. _He thought vaguely, his eyes glazing over with a sudden wave of tears as a strange sensation erupted in his chest – one that seemed like a sun had risen inside his stomach and burned away the terrible knot that he had been nursing in his chest.

_Is this what it feels to be exposed…_

_**To what it's like… when everything's right?**_

He didn't dare to believe it.

_No. It can't be. This is just false happiness. Tomorrow, I'm going to find another place, and that will be the end of it. There __**might **__be something right here, but in one moment it will all fall apart. _

He looked down at his plate, biting his lip to keep from sobbing.

_If one moment can take all happiness away… and leave you with nothing… why bother trying to be happy in the first place? It takes so much work to get to, and the foundation is so fragile – what's the point?_

_Surely these people REALIZE that. _

But when he looked up again – composure regained – and saw Arashi laughing so loudly it seemed to ring off the walls, and then he moved his gaze to Taniko to see her eyes closed and mouth shaped into a smile – one that looked like she was holding in laughter – then when he looked to one side and saw Kyuubi grinning, his eyes scrunched closed, and to the other side to see Naruto – smiling sheepishly with eyes still open and scratching the back of his head (it seemed _he _was the butt of the joke) – it suddenly seemed very, _very _solid.

_Could they have something MY family didn't have?_

As if slow motion, Naruto noticed Sasuke was looking, and his gaze shifted to lock with the Uchiha's – who was merely staring at him – before giving the raven a bright, warm smile, the blonde's arm falling back down to his side.

Sasuke felt like the world had fallen out from beneath his feet, but for entirely different reasons than it usually did.

_Does this entire family… __**accept**__ me?_

He didn't dare to believe it.

**End Line Five: To What It's Like When Everything's Right**

**Lol, this is such a funny chapter. I had to write a little screaming thing with Naruto and Sasuke, and Sasuke a second time.**

**Forgive me if Sasuke's OOC in this chapter, but hey, he's an actor. :)**

**I hope you liked it everyone!**

**Ja ne!**

**DDB**


	6. Line Six: I Can't Believe

**YEP. UPDATING THIS TOO HA!**

**I do love this story. I discovered my notes on it a couple of days ago and I started reading through them and I was just like, 'Well shit. THAT'S where I was going to take this. DUDE THAT IS SO AWESOME.'**

**So hopefully, maybe, something will start happening again.**

**But I do have a lot of these stories, so please bear with me. **

**You Found Me**

**Line Six: I Can't Believe**

"So… Sasuke…" he looked up from his plate to see Taniko smiling at him. "How did you enjoy that trip to Oregon when you were little? Your mother told me you had a lot of fun there."

Sasuke gave an inaudible gasp as he gazed at her, his fork – laden with salmon – faltering on the way to his mouth.

Kyuubi shifted next to him – ready to leap to his defense – but Sasuke found himself doing what he had never done before.

"I…" he began. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly, he gave a small smile, allowing himself to remember. "Yes – I did. I don't remember a lot – since I was very little – but I remember a few things."

_I wasn't supposed to say that._

Taniko smiled warmly at him, and Sasuke found himself not regretting answering her with simply a 'yes'.

_Dammit what is this family doing to me –?_

"Well, is that so?" She laughed cheerfully as Sasuke chewed a small bite of salmon. Apparently, she had used mayonnaise as the main ingredient for the sauce on top of the fish.

_Hmm… I wonder if she got this recipe from my mother. She always made fish like this…_

_**She probably did. They knew each other, remember?**_

The salmon turned bitter in his mouth.

_...Yeah._

"What kind of things?" Naruto's mother asked. Sasuke chewed thoughtfully and swallowed before replying. His voice was quiet as he remembered.

"Well, the snow for one. That was the first time I had ever seen snow, and it was absolutely amazing. When we arrived in Oregon, the snow had been fresh, and…" he fought down a smile. "I remember when I first saw it. I had no idea what it was – I actually thought it was powdered sugar – cold, powdered sugar." His tablemates laughed heartily at this, and Sasuke found himself smiling again – it felt good to have people around him laugh outside of Drama class – especially when the laughter wasn't directed _at_ him. His voice becoming warm, he continued. "Yeah – my brother nearly fell out of the car trying to stop me from diving out the window into the snow banks beneath the overpass. I didn't understand what I had done wrong – he threatened to shove me into the trunk of the car if I did it again – jokingly, of course!" He added hastily, seeing Kyuubi's sharp glance. "When we got to the lodge where we were supposed to stay, the first thing my brother did was pick me up and drop me into a pile of snow." He bit down a laugh. "I learned the hard way that that was _NOT _powered sugar – I had the sniffles for three weeks after that."

Taniko gave him a broad, glowing smile.

"Awe – Mikoto _TOLD _me about that! She said you had a snowball fight afterwards!"

Sasuke's eyes sparkled with a mirth that Naruto had never seen before, and the blonde could only marvel at the change.

"Yeah – we had a snowball fight. We also made snowmen and snow angels – my mother even made a huge pack of snow rolls!"

Arashi blinked from over his glass.

"Snow rolls? Isn't that snow balls covered in soy sauce?" He asked. Sasuke nodded.

_Why does my heart… seem to be feeling lighter?_

"Yes – she said my grandmother always used to make it when it snowed in Washington. And it's not really snow _balls_," he began, making Naruto immaturely laugh from around his spoon, and making his father discreetly elbow him from around the table. Shooting Naruto a look, Sasuke continued. "They were more like ovals – like the shape of éclairs, I suppose." He set his silverware down to make the shape with his hands. "She also drizzled some with chocolate sauce – it was amazing."

"_What are you doing with that snow, Mother?"_

"_I'm making a special treat for you and your brother, my dear."_

"_What is it?"_

"_It's something my mother, and her mother before her, used to make."_

"_What is it called?"_

"_It's called a snow roll."_

Taniko closed her eyes wistfully just as Sasuke closed his own in yearning.

_Mother…_

"Oh my – chocolate covered snow – that sounds delightful!"

"Can you use just any snow?" Arashi asked, sincerely interested, holding his fork with his left hand and resting his chin on his right palm, elbow on the table next to his plate. Sasuke shook his head, nibbling at his roll and dully remembering the last time that he had eaten a roll, his gaze drifting to Naruto for a mere moment.

_The ache in my chest… it's disappearing._

"No – it must be freshly fallen snow. If it's not, it gets hard, and that's when it can't be made into snow rolls. The snow in Oregon – I've been told – gets hard incredibly fast –" He wisely chose to ignore Naruto's suppressed, childish sniggering in the background. "– so my mother had to be quick in getting some. She had us take huge bowls out right after it started to snow, and within an hour, they were halfway full. She made the snow rolls outside – where the snow wouldn't melt. Me and my brother helped her."

_It was amazing. The soft light from the lodge, the starlit sky above, my mother and my brother laughing along side me… that was Heaven. As close to Heaven as I'll ever get._

With that thought in his mind, the ache regained some of its strength, and he lowered his eyes to poke at the mashed potatoes on his plate, taking little bits at a time.

_Because now I'm just in Hell. _

He closed his eyes.

The entire table seemed to realize that he had become sad again, so Taniko hastily – but smoothly, Sasuke had to commend her for her grace – asked something to get him to speak again.

"Mikoto also told me that you went to Washington on that same trip! How was it?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"Well, we went to an apple orchard, but there were no apples on the trees. My father told me he would take us again during the summer or fall – when the apples could be picked. When we got there, there was just bare trees and tons of snow – they had had a blizzard that had dissipated only right before we arrived. We were very lucky not to get caught in it, but it had frozen every branch on every tree."

Taniko nodded sagely.

"Yes – your mother sent me pictures. The scenery seemed to be extraordinary after that snow storm."

Sasuke nodded, fighting down a smile.

"Yes, it was."

_It was beautiful. _

_The light from the moon shined down as they walked through the barren trees, icicles hanging down from the bottom branches, so close that they could be licked by a four-year-old with a little help from an elder. The moon's rays make every branch – which were incased in ice – sparkle brilliantly with their own internal glow. _

_It was something no one could forget._

_And I never did. _

Arashi sighed, satisfied, as he set his utensils down, leaning back in his chair.

"Wonderful, as always, my dear!" He leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek. "You never fail to amaze!"

Taniko laughed cheerfully, having finished as well.

"Thank you, Dear! I'm happy you enjoyed it! How about you, boys?" She looked over to Sasuke and her sons. The brothers both grinned, showing off their clean plates.

"Delicious as always, Mum!" Naruto exclaimed. Kyuubi nodded in agreement.

"Yeah – I don't know HOW I could've left you Mum! For three years, no less!"

They all laughed. Taniko looked to Sasuke.

"What about you, Dear?" She asked sweetly. Sasuke fought down an embarrassed blush when he realized that the salmon was half-eaten, the roll was hardly touched, and the mash potatoes were in the shape of a little bowl. Taniko gasped. "Oh dear – did you not like it? I _knew _I should've made something else –!"

"No! Mrs. Uzumaki – that's not the case at all!" Sasuke exclaimed before she could go on one of her motherly rants.

"Call me Taniko, Dear," she corrected automatically. The raven nodded his head patiently.

"_Taniko_," he began. "Please don't worry about it. I just don't eat a lot is all. But – trust me – it was very good! Not everyone can cook fish well – salmon, of all things!"

He hoped he sounded cheerful enough. Kyuubi immediately shot off.

"Yeah – Mom, have you SEEN this poor kid?" He grabbed Sasuke's shoulder and yanked the raven to him, the redhead poking the Uchiha's cheek playfully as his voice echoed mock seriousness. "No fat on this guy at ALL! His stomach is probably the size of a Game Boy DS game!"

Sasuke shot him a look.

"I ate more than that! And how do YOU know how big a DS game is?"

Kyuubi released him and shrugged.

"What can I say? I hang out with dorks."

"HEY!" Naruto's offended exclamation came from Sasuke's other side. Kyuubi leaned over the table to grin at his brother from around the Uchiha.

"Yes Naruto – we all know you're a dork!"

Sasuke blinked, looking at Kyuubi.

"Naruto has a DS?" He asked carefully. Naruto launched himself at Kyuubi as the redhead grinned.

"KYUUBI!"

"You're just mad because I spilled your little secret!"

"Oh, I am SO gonna GET you –!"

Sasuke merely watched as the two rolled along the floor, shouting senseless nonsense at each other.

_They're… really close._

That ache appeared again.

_Just like…_

Taniko laughed, neither she nor her husband making a move to stop the two boys.

"I hope you don't mind, Dear!" She told Sasuke cheerfully, making the raven look at her. "They're always like this!"

Sasuke cocked his head at him and then looked back to the brothers.

"Yes. I can see that. They're…" his voice lowered "close."

Taniko smiled broadly.

"Yes. They have the tendency to grate on each other's nerves – but they love each other to bits."

Both Kyuubi and Naruto looked up from where they were.

"_**WE DO NOT!**_" They both roared in unison, then twisting their heads around to glare at each other. "_**ASSHOLE!**_" The fight started again.

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Okay…" he began, walking forward to them. He placed a foot behind him, glaring down at the two brothers. "_Denial_."

He swung his leg underneath him like he was kicking a soccer ball, slamming the toe of his foot into Naruto's side and forcing him to break away from Kyuubi, the blonde rolling across the floor to the side of the kitchen's island, howling in surprise and pain.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS _THAT _FOR?" He roared, leaping up to bolt to Sasuke, stopping so that they were less than a foot apart. Sasuke didn't flinch as Naruto screeched to a stop in front of him, his arms crossed as his nonchalant gaze evenly met Naruto's glare.

"For denying it," he replied simply. Naruto's anger was replaced with shock as his jaw dropped, merely staring at the Uchiha.

"That's it?" He asked. Sasuke merely looked at him for a moment.

"Yeah," he replied, nodding slightly. "Pretty much."

Before Naruto could accurately aim for his throat, Kyuubi stepped in and seized his younger brother by the scruff of his neck, easily lifting him up to dispose of him in the kitchen.

"C'mon Naruto – before you kill him at least help Mom clean up the kitchen. You owe her that much."

The wounded blonde glared at him.

"Is EVERYONE here against me?" He exclaimed loudly. Taniko smiled warmly at him as she walked into the kitchen, dirty plates in her hands.

"Of course not, dear," she cooed lovingly, setting the plates in the sink. "Goldie isn't against you."

She nodded to a bowl filled half-way with water. It took Sasuke a moment to realize that there was a small goldfish inside, swimming around.

He was tempted to do a backwards face vault from shock.

_Oh, you CAN'T be serious –_

Naruto collapsed back onto the floor.

"GOLDIE DOESN'T COUNT!" He roared pitifully. Kyuubi rolled his eyes and nudged at Naruto's side with his toe, hands on his hips.

"Come ON, _squirt_," he stated, glaring down at his little brother. "You're older than that – get UP!"

Naruto looked up at him pitifully.

"Must I?" He asked. Sasuke rolled his eyes hopelessly and turned away, taking the plates from Taniko's hands and grabbing the sponge.

"Oh don't, Dear!" She cooed worriedly. "You're our guest – I can't let you do any work! You're still recovering!"

Sasuke gave her a small smile.

"But you took care of my sorry butt for two days – I can at least wash dishes for you."

"Are you sure, Sasuke?" Arashi asked, carrying more dishes into the kitchen. "There's a lot of stuff to wash."

Sasuke shrugged.

"It's fine – really. I'd feel bad if I didn't." He gazed at Taniko, his eyes growing big as his lips curled downward when she opened her mouth to protest. She merely gazed at him for a moment before she sighed.

"Fine – but at least let one of the boys dry. Naruto!" She snapped, making the blonde bolt up into a sitting position in the middle of the dining room floor – something that Sasuke saw severely irked Kyuubi, who was still standing beside his little brother.

"Yes Mother?" He asked crisply. She clapped her hands once.

"Come over here and dry the dishes!"

"Yes Mum," he replied immediately, getting up and walking over to her, Kyuubi glaring at his back. She turned to his elder brother, who immediately dropped the look.

"And Kyuubi?"

He nodded.

"Yes, mi mummy?" He asked sweetly.

"You put the dishes up, all right?"

"Right away, Mum." He moved to stand beside Naruto, who had taken his place beside Sasuke, towel in hand. The blonde grinned to Sasuke.

"Let 'em rip, baby!" He exclaimed as Taniko and Arashi worked together to put the remaining food up.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke complied, turning on the water.

Together, they did the dishes – Sasuke washing, Naruto drying, and Kyuubi putting them away. While they worked together, the Uchiha caught himself with a small smile on his face, feeling the warmth of the family around him flow through his body.

_It's been too long… since I've spent time with people like this…_

_God I've missed it. _

After it was done, Taniko nodded her approval.

"Very good, boys! Well done!"

Sasuke nodded to her in thanks, and then had to lash out and grip the edge of the counter to stop himself from falling face first at her feet as the floor suddenly seemed to become the ceiling. He felt both Naruto and Kyuubi jump to his side, both of them taking one of his shoulders in hand.

"I'm fine," he managed to say, shocked to hear his voice so thick. "Just a little…" The world swam in front of his eyes "…tired."

Taniko shook her head, clucking like a mother hen.

"Oh dear – that won't do! Sasuke dear," he looked up at her. "Go and take a long, relaxing bath, all right? It seems like you need it. And after you're done, go straight to bed, okay? Naruto will lend you some clothes to borrow."

Sasuke nodded, his head swimming.

_Ah – what's with this sudden weakness –?_

"…Okay."

Taniko looked to her sons.

"Naruto, go get him some clothes that might fit. Kyuubi," she looked to the redhead. "You show him the bathroom, okay? _Carry him _if you have to!" She added quickly, noticing the way Sasuke began to sway. Kyuubi and Naruto both nodded.

"Yes Mum," they said in unison before Naruto departed. Sasuke felt powerful arms slip under his knees and upper back, tilting him backwards and effortlessly lifting him up. He weakly fought against the one who held him, the back of his eyes burning.

_Dammit I don't NEED anybody's help –!_

_**Liar.**_

"Mmph… Kyuubi…" he murmured. " Put me down!"

Kyuubi smiled at him, though he couldn't see it as they left the dining room and headed towards the nearest bathroom.

"No way – I like holding you."

Sasuke opened his eyes and tried to glare at the redhead, but the bright light of the hall hurt his eyes and he had to close them.

"Ugh… pervert."

Kyuubi's smile broadened.

"I'm a college student," he stated as he opened the door to the bathroom and gently set Sasuke on the toilet seat. "What can you expect?"

Sasuke stiffened his back to keep from tumbling off the toilet.

"…Uh… a mature adult?" He managed to murmur before he swallowed down the wave of bile that suddenly tried to force its way out.

_I fucking **hate** being sick –_

Kyuubi laughed softly as he set a hand on Sasuke's shoulder to steady him.

"Ah – that's a good one!"

Sasuke took a deep, slow breath.

"Oh… _Fuck_," he hissed emotionlessly, his face going cold. Kyuubi felt his forehead.

"Wonderful. Looks like that fever's come back with a vengeance. If we act quickly, we can break it. Here," he went to the bathtub as Sasuke leaned against the wall, his head pounding. "The hot water will help – strip and get in. Of course…" Sasuke opened his eyes to see the redhead leering at him. "If you don't need _help_."

Sasuke took the lotion dispenser from the counter next to him and blindly threw it in the direction that he thought Kyuubi's voice was coming from.

"You fucking pervert," he muttered, Kyuubi catching the object effortlessly with a grin. He set it on the small table beside him as the warm water poured from the faucet into the large tub. Sasuke looked around wearily.

_There's something familiar about this place…_

"Okay, I'm going to go get you some cold medicine," Kyuubi stated, letting the water run. "You get undressed and get into the tub – I'll be back in a couple of minutes, okay?"

He looked over at Sasuke worriedly. The Uchiha – after a moment of fighting down nausea – nodded.

"Yeah," he replied. Kyuubi nodded and Sasuke heard the click of the door as it closed behind the redhead.

Silently – focusing on every step needed – Sasuke took off his glasses and stood up, wobbling for a moment before he found his feet. Taking a hair band and a clip from the counter beside him, he raised his hands and pulled his long hair up into a tight bun. Keeping his eyes closed, he took off the thin shirt and dropped his black shorts, stumbling to the tub and setting his hand on the edge to steady himself.

Slowly, he lowered himself into the steamy water, letting out a soft hiss as the warm water – at first – scalded his limbs. But as he vanished underneath the bubbles riding on the surface, he instantly felt himself relax as he leaned back against the side of the tub, closing his eyes.

He let out a small sigh.

_This… feels nice. _

He remembered dully that he could only take lukewarm showers at his old apartment, because he didn't have enough money for any hotter water.

_I've never really indulged like this before… not ever since I was a child. _

The sore seemed to gain power in the hot water, and he let out a soft whimper.

_I want to get out of here. _

But the water seemed to trap him with the ease of which it melted away his tension, and he didn't even try to move.

He blearily opened his eyes.

_Everything is… fuzzy._

He heard the door open, and he dully checked to see if the bubbles were thick enough to cover him before Kyuubi slowly stepped into the room.

"Hey," he breathed softly as Sasuke slowly opened his eyes. The Uchiha saw a glass of clear liquid – probably water – in his right hand and his left hand a clenched fist. Pressed into his chest by his forearm was a square blue cloth – folded clothes, maybe? He neared the tub and kneeled down next to Sasuke's head, not even attempting to look into the water. Sasuke silently praised him for his respect.

_Even perverts have a sense of privacy – _

"I got you a couple of cold pills," Kyuubi told him. "And this is some tap water – the filter is busted. I've been telling Mom to fix it for _weeks_."

Sasuke managed a small, tired smirk – knowing that was the type of reaction Kyuubi wanted.

Slowly, he sat up, straightening his back and reaching up; drying his hands on a hand towel draped over the edge of the tub before letting Kyuubi roll the two small pills into his palm. Kyuubi handed him the glass as well. Sasuke took both pills in his mouth and carefully drank, feeling the strange pills wash down his throat. Slowly nodding his thanks, he gave the glass back. Kyuubi sighed.

"Okay – whatever you do, don't fall asleep, okay? Here's some clothes for you." He set them on the small table next to the tub. "Come out when you're ready – I'll show you to your room."

He stood up and left.

Sasuke – cursing the redhead for telling him not to sleep, for already he was feeling drowsy – leaned back once more and closed his eyes.

_This is unheard of. _He thought wearily. _I would NEVER take random pills that someone gave me – unless I KNEW what the pills were. I didn't even fucking check for a name on the damned things – they could be sleeping pills, or E, or something else insane like that._

But for some reason he couldn't convince himself of it as an image of Kyuubi came to his mind's eye.

_He wouldn't do that. Pervert though he is – he's honest. _

_**How do you know that? Idiot child – you haven't known him for more than a few hours – how can you say that?**_

_Not true. I knew him when I was little. _

_**People change, Sasuke. You did. **_

He opened his eyes and stared upwards at the ceiling, shifting slightly.

_Yes. I did. _

He sighed, feeling the heat rush back to his face. Either the heated water was starting to get to him, or the cold pills worked faster than he thought.

_This would be a good way to end… just fall asleep warm, and never wake up. _

'_Scept I'm naked. Crap. _

Ten minutes passed before he made any movement to get out of the tub. Slowly, he stood, the water streaming down his back and chest in long tendrils of clear.

Silently, he forced himself out of the tub and numbly grabbed a towel, slowly drying himself off as he fought to keep his mind clear.

_Just make it to the bed – make it to the bed and you're good – that's all you need to do –_

He slowly dressed and hung the towel up on an empty towel rack, taking his clothes in the cradle of one arm and silently opening the door as he put on his glasses, which had fogged up from the steam the water had made.

Kyuubi was waiting outside, leaning against the wall by the door. He turned his head at Sasuke's arrival.

"Hey – you feelin' any better?"

Sasuke checked himself over for a moment – silently and unmoving – before nodding.

"Yes – better," he stated.

_But not completely. _

Kyuubi nodded, satisfied.

"Do you need me to carry you?" He asked worriedly. Sasuke shot him a look.

"Of course not," he replied – a little more sharply than he meant to. He was too tired to care anymore – he would think about it in the morning, when he actually had the capacity to care. "When I faint, I give you full permission to carry me."

He never realized he sounded a lot more scathing _sick_ than he did when he was healthy.

Kyuubi brushed it off as the fever and nodded.

"Okay – I'll show you to your room then." Pressing a hand at Sasuke's back – so that the redhead could easily catch him if he really _did _faint.

Sasuke noticed this with a slight air of contempt, but didn't summon the strength needed to brush the large, _cool _hand away – the touch was a relief to his flaming skin.

_I blame the fever. _

Gently supporting the Uchiha, Kyuubi led him back the way they had come and directed him upwards.

Sasuke fought from collapsing right there.

_Ah, fuck. Stairs. _

Swallowing, he started forward.

It took every ounce of strength and stubborn Uchiha will he possessed to make it halfway up the stairs.

When Sasuke reached the tenth step, however, his body failed him. He could nearly _hear _it saying cheekily with a strange Middle Eastern accent, _"I do not WANT to do this anymore!"_

His mind hazy, he missed the next step and started downwards.

_Awe crap –_

Warm arms instantly encircled his torso, pulling him into a strong chest as he gasped.

_Ah…_

"Hmmm…" he heard Kyuubi murmur from above him as he closed his eyes, letting all of his weight lean backwards onto the redhead and not even attempting to regain his footing. "It looks like the pills haven't really kicked in yet – you just ate, so the food's probably slowing it down."

"I can throw it up if you like," Sasuke offered sarcastically, his voice tired as he realized that Kyuubi could do _anything _to him at that moment and he wouldn't raise a hand to stop him.

He wondered if the other knew that.

The redhead laughed.

"Nah – I wouldn't do that! You're making Mom worry enough as it is – we don't need you throwing up to add to her stress! Besides, you'll throw up the pills too!"

Sasuke opened his eyes to weakly glare at him, his eyes barely open.

"It's amazing that you can say that so cheerfully," he commented blankly, uttering not a word of protest when Kyuubi effortlessly lifted him up and carried him up the stairs.

Sasuke allowed his eyes to close, wondering at himself.

_How can I… put so much trust in him?_

It scared him – no one had been able to get so close, especially so soon – and it frightened him.

_Please make it stop –_

"Here you are."

A door opened, and Sasuke's nose was assaulted with a powerful smell of burning pine – he could taste it on his tongue.

_This smell… is it his room? What am I doing back here?_

He heard the soft rustle of blankets being pulled back, and Kyuubi gently laid him – as if he were the most delicate porcelain doll – onto the mattress, slowly pulling his arms away. Quietly, he gripped the blankets and pulled them over Sasuke's form, which had begun to sweat. Softly tucking the Uchiha in, he leaned over the other's face and raised his hands, gently taking off the Uchiha's glasses and setting them on the bedside table. Turning to Sasuke again, Kyuubi leaned over and raised a hand again, brushing the hair out of Sasuke's face – which was suddenly slick with sweat.

Sasuke dully opened his eyes – he had no strength to open them completely – and through his haze, he could've sworn he saw Kyuubi's fiery brown eyes – a ginger color, a bit darker than his hair – sparkling with some powerful warmth as he looked down on the young Uchiha.

_That light… coming from his eyes… what is it? It's so… familiar._

He blinked, and – for one, single instant – he saw Itachi, gazing down at him with so much love and care that Sasuke nearly screamed.

_Those eyes – THEY'RE **IDENTICAL**!_

"_Sasuke…"_

_**NO –!**_

But then Kyuubi spoke, and the hallucination disappeared as Sasuke continued to look upwards, eyes wide in sudden terror.

"Hey," Kyuubi breathed, noticing Sasuke's distress. He reached over and softly touched the raven's cheek. The Uchiha nearly leaped out of his skin at the touch, but there was something in it – something so caring and gentle – that kept him still when those same fingers trailed upwards, carefully cupping his face. Kyuubi offered him a small, warm smile. "It's okay – you're gonna be fine. This is my room – where you woke up. You'll be fine here. There's a bathroom down the hall next to Naruto's room. I'll be downstairs next to the bathroom where you took a bath, okay?"

Sasuke merely looked up at him for a moment – Kyuubi thought he looked so cute with his cheeks flushed and his eyes wide – before he closed his eyes and nodded, swallowing.

He wondered if Kyuubi could feel his heartbeat.

_It would be a miracle if he didn't –_

"Yeah… okay."

Kyuubi smiled broadly at him, but Sasuke merely looked at him, suddenly having an urge to grab the redhead's hand and never let go – to just grab the one that was caressing his cheek oh-so softly and to keep it there – to keep _him _there.

It took all of his self-control not to do just that.

_You've already taken too much from him and his family, idiot. Besides, he would **never **say yes – _

"If you need anything during the night, just ask Naruto," Kyuubi continued gently, making Sasuke open his eyes again. "However, he tends to be a heavy sleeper, so he might not answer his door. If that happens, come to me on the first floor – I'm usually up 'til at least three. If you can't make it down the stairs though…" He smiled broadly. "Just scream really loudly – I'm sure _someone _will hear you then!"

Sasuke had enough energy to roll his eyes and smile.

"Yeah – I'll make sure to do that," he said sarcastically. Kyuubi's grin – if possible – widened, and he withdrew the hand from Sasuke's face to gently pat Sasuke's chest through the blankets.

"Cool – I hope you get better soon." He straightened and began to turn away. "Good night."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

_No – he can't go – not yet –!_

"Wait."

His hand lashed out on its own accord, gripping Kyuubi's wrist in a pleading death lock.

It was then he realized what he just did as Kyuubi turned.

_Awe crap –_

Sasuke blushed from underneath the flush of fever and he refused to meet the redhead's eyes.

"Tell your family… 'thank you', for me. I must be a real trouble for them – and you."

_That's not what I wanted to say. _

_But thank God I said it. _

Kyuubi blinked before smiling.

"Hey – it's no problem! We're glad to have you here! Besides, I've missed you," he stated, making Sasuke blink, trying to clear his mind enough to understand him. "Ever since we moved, you were all I could think about – you and your brother."

Something inside of Sasuke twisted slightly and he softly winced. Kyuubi continued, reaching down to play with a lock of Sasuke's long hair, which had rebelliously fell out of the bun.

But some reason, the only thing he could focus on was Kyuubi's words – how warm and heartfelt they sounded.

_Oh… my God…_

"I kept wondering if you two were all right. After all, with a father like that, it would be a miracle if you two got out unscathed – especially you, you were so innocent and impressionable back then – but that was the miracle I kept praying for." Kyuubi smiled gently, and Sasuke – even through his fever – noticed a gleam of regret in the other's eyes, and it made him wonder. "I missed you – you and Itachi. I kept wondering if I could ever see you again, and after I caught word of the accident, I thought I _never _would. But now look…" he gazed intently at Sasuke, and the Uchiha felt like a child under his stare. Kyuubi smiled softly. "Here you are."

The Uchiha quickly schooled his features as best he could, and he closed his eyes and turned on his side, still facing Kyuubi, but feigning indifference.

"Well, maybe that was just a different miracle," he replied shortly, not even thinking of how those words could be taken.

_Thank God for the fever. I must be bright red by now._

Kyuubi laughed softly.

"Yeah. Well, I'll tell them you send your thanks. You focus on getting better okay?" He rubbed Sasuke's head softly in farewell before turning to the door. "See you tomorrow."

Sasuke merely gazed at his back, and he didn't say anything until the door had closed, leaving him in darkness.

_I can't believe it – I trust him. _

He closed his eyes.

_**I can't believe…**_

"Yes…"

_It was dark – a whirlwind of inscrutable images rapidly flashed in front of him, making him shut his eyes and hold his head. _

"_Ugh…" he breathed. He raised his head and squinted, trying to see something sensible in the strange twister of movement. "What's going on?"_

"_**You're a useless child."**_

_The cold voice made his eyes widen and he jerked his head around, giving himself whiplash as he tried to locate the speaker in the darkness. He knew that voice. _

"_What's…" he breathed. "…going on?"_

_Suddenly that single voice turned into a chorus of different ones, swirling around him, the voices echoing and constantly changing direction – making him nearly fall into a panic. _

"_What the hell –?"_

"_**Why can't you be more like your brother?"**_

"_**You disgrace me."**_

"_**Try to be more like your brother – he's the pride of the family!"**_

"_**Grow up to be big and strong like your older brother, honey. That would make all of us proud."**_

"_**Why couldn't you do it? Your brother was able to at your age!"**_

"_**Try harder. You can do better than a high 'A'. Your older brother got perfect scores."**_

"_**A disappointment. That's all you are." **_

"_**I don't even WANT to show you to my family!"**_

"_**Get out of my sight, boy! I'm tired of seeing you!" **_

"_**You must dedicate yourself to growing stronger – you're so weak right now." **_

"_**Aren't you EVER going to skip a grade? Your brother skipped FOUR when he was your age!" **_

_The chorus of voices grew decidedly colder and deeper, and – by this time – he was reduced to a shaking, shivering lump. He remembered all those times when those words were spoken – all the condescending, disappointed tones. All the beatings that paired up with a lot of those comments – he remembered every time they were spoken and who said them – it made him nearly break down as he called out to that merciless darkness. _

"_Oh God, MAKE IT STOP!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, shrinking into himself and pressing his hands against his ears. But that did nothing to block out the single voice hidden in the darkness, now pulsing with contempt and scorn._

"_**Worthless…"**_

"_**Pointless…"**_

"_**Useless…" **_

"_**Hopeless…" **_

"_**Fruitless…" **_

"_**Meaningless…" **_

_He was on his knees now, trembling violently. _

"_Please STOP!" He cried. "Please GOD STOP!" _

"_**LOOK AT ME." **_

_Suddenly he was standing straight, staring right in front of him with arms limp at his sides with his eyes wide open in shock. _

_Staring back at him from seemingly glass was a magnified version of his brother – his head and upper torso as tall as the other's entire body. _

_He wanted to scream. _

"_NO –!"_

_His brother grinned at him. _

"_**YOU WANT TO KILL ME RIGHT?" **_

_Suddenly his brother leaned forward, easily breaking through the barrier that had separated them and becoming instantly smaller as he reached out with cold pale arms, reaching for the other with his lower body still trapped behind the barrier, but slowly pushing through as well. _

"_**YOU WANT TO LOVE ME RIGHT?"**_

"_NO!" He cried as his brother reached for him, the elder's face inching closer and closer to his own. He tried to run – couldn't run. Trapped like an animal – like a rat. It made him sick. "STOP! STOP IT!" _

_Cold hands – icy like death – gripped his throat and stole away his breath, making him gag and cough raggedly. Tears streamed down his cheeks. _

"_STOP!" He begged. "PLEASE GOD **STOP**!" _

"_**LOOK AT ME."**_

_He obeyed. _

_He stared into his brother's eyes. Eyes that weren't there. _

_Eyes that had turned into slimy, writhing maggots, itching to climb out of his eye sockets._

_Itching to crawl into the other's own. _

"_**KISS ME, SASUKE."**_

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

Gasping, he nearly leaped out of the bed with the force as he jumped upwards, nearly sending himself careening sideways to the floor. Shaking uncontrollably, his entire body trembling, Sasuke shuddered repeatedly, curling up into a ball as he shook in Kyuubi's bed.

Sweating and gasping, he attempted to control his breathing, but failed pitifully.

_Oh GOD help me –_

"It was just a dream," he breathed to himself, willing himself to drown in the scent of burning pine. "It was just a dream – that's all it was. He's not here, he never will be, just forget it! Please _GOD _just forget it!"

But he couldn't. He could still hear the voices, feel the hands around on his throat.

See that writhing mass of maggots.

"_**KISS ME, SASUKE."**_

_NO!_

With a sudden urge to move, _(to run away as far as he could this place just didn't seem safe anymore) _he threw back the covers and leapt out of the bed.

Opening the door, he quietly went down the strangely all-too-familiar stairs, feeling lost and alone and yearning for his mother – for the brother he knew – for _anyone _to come and rescue him.

_Please someone find me –_

But of course no one would come.

**End Line Six – I Can't Believe**

**A wee bit shorter than the others, I feel.**

**It's all about timing with this one.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**

**LOVES**

**DDB**


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